Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Sep 11: “Government should hold interactive meeting with the stake holders of Dakshina Kannada by September 25, if not, we will hold protest which may lead to the closure of the entire district for weeks”, said MG Hegde vice president of Karavali Jeevanadi-Nethravathi Rakshana Samithi (KJNRS).
He was addressing the press meet at a private hotel here on Thursday September 10.
He further said, “There are instances of shutting the district for more than a week earlier. Even in this case, if the government doesn't respond positively then a one week bandh may recur in the district”.
“Karavali-Jeevanadi-Nethravathi Rakshana Samithi has filed a case to the National Green Tribunal and a legal struggle is going on. Several organizations have taken up the issue. In future all groups will hold protests against the ongoing project irrespective of caste, creed or religion”, he said.
Slamming district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai, he said, “We are ready to hold press meet at Bengaluru, you (Rai) should fix the date and time for the press meet".
He also said that contractors have come forward and have taken hectares of land for the work without acquiring the land legally. All this have created a doubt that contractors have received the kickback in this project".
Speaking on the occasion, NITK professor S G Mayya said, “It is evident that from the written reply submitted by the Karnataka Neeravari Nigama Limited (KNNL) on behalf of government of Karnataka that the detailed project report DPR is full of lies, contradictions and with a clear intention of deceiving the stake holder of Nethravathi river basin. In para 8 of the reply, it is stated that river Nethravathi is an intra-state river and its water is vested with the state of Karnataka and the government of Karnataka is planning to utilize the Nethravathi river water to meet the drinking water requirement of Bangalore city and other drought prone districts. It is also stated that the people of Nethravathi basin cannot claim the right on Nethravathi water and the people of riparian residents have no priority of rights. It is blatant violation of natural justice. It amounts to denial and disrespect to the natural rights of the people of Nethravathi river basin.
He also termed that the project as 'Technical Disaster'. “The EI Technology who has prepared the DPR has no experience. The yield estimated is based on unreliable private coffee planter's rainfall data. It is unfortunate that organizations like National Institute of Hydrology(NIH), Central Water Commission have been misused by the state agencies. This is really strange that whether the rainfall in the catchment is 4880mm or 6280mm the yield remains 24TMC!”
“In the guise of providing drinking water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur, Nethravathi water is taken to provide water even for irrigation in the other districts including water supply to Bangalore rural and city of Bangalore. The hidden agenda of the government is exposed in the reply submitted to the tribunal. It may not be surprising if a project is proposed on Netravathi at the confluence of Kumaradhara and Nethravathi so as to lift sufficient water from Netravathi to meet the water requirement of the present project beneficiaries”, he concluded.