Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)
Mangaluru, Sep 12: Former union minister Dr M Veerappa Moily was on Saturday September 12 gheraoed by several protestors over the issue of the controversial Yettinahole project. The police then intervened and detained the protestors.
The incident took place just as Moily was leaving the premises of World Konkani Centre at Shaktinagar, where he had been to attend a programme.
Protestors as well media persons surrounded Moily and bombarded him with questions on the Yettinahole project, which he had inaugurated last year in Chikkaballapur.
The protestors led by Dinesh Holla, convenor of Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya, also presented a memorandum addressed to the chief minister, urging the government to drop the project.
In response, Moily said, "I cannot do anything about it. So many things have happened since the foundation was laid. The project was sanctioned during BJP government's tenure in the state, and later inaugurated by CM Siddaramaiah. Our intention was only to provide water, from wherever we could. People in arid regions of the state are not getting pure water even if they dig deep. Our intention was only to provide water for them and not to cause harm to the Western Ghats."
When Dinesh Holla countered him with allegation that it was he who suggested using Netravati water, Moily denied it. He was repeatedly asked several questions on the project, but he did not answer any.
As Moily moved towards his car, the protestors showed black flags and started shouting slogans. One of the protestors even took off his footwear and waved it at Moily. The police then intervened and took the protestors.
'Yettinahole project will not affect Western Ghats; only intention is to provide drinking water'
Addressing a press meet at the World Konkani Centre after an MoU signing ceremony, Moily took questions on Yettinahole project and said, "There are nine rivers in north Karnataka which are going dry. Even though people have been suffering from three decades, there have been no solutions despite many proposals and plans. Children there are suffering from abnormalities because of lack of clean water. Hence, there is need for providing drinking water, and that is why excess water during rainy season at Yettinahole, Kaduhole and other streams will be provided to north Karnataka. This will be done only during four months in a year when its raining.
He further added, "It is an independent project and it is not Netravati river diversion. Yettinahole, Kaduhole and other rivers do not join Netravati - they join Kumaradhara river. We are not storing or lifting the water from here. About 300-500 TMC of excess water flows into the sea during monsoons, and out of this, only 24 TMC, which is just 0.2 percent of the total water, will be given to north Karnataka.
"There will be no destruction of forests or land acqusition. It is just a project to provide water to north Karnataka states," Moily stressed.
He also said that five institutions across the country, including those at Ranchi and Hyderabad, had made a study on providing drinking water. When reporters pointed out that a study by IISC had shown that the project was not feasible, he said, "There is huge confusion and lack of information among the people regarding this project. All the information will be given by the technical department on its website soon."
When a reporter pointed out that there are places where dams have been constructed and now have just knee-deep water, he said, "That is true, if there is no water, there is no point in constructing dams.
"Our intention is to only provide drinking water, no matter where it comes from. The Western Ghats will not be affected. If there is a need to intervene in future, I will do it," he assured.
Regarding absence of public hearing with ministers and MLAs on the project, he said, "Within this month there will be a meeting between the elected representatives, experts and people. I will also talk to the CM to organize this meeting. It is the duty of the government to clarify the doubts of the people."
To question whether he would stop the government from executing the project, he said, "I have no authority to stop this project, nor did I ask for its commencement. I do not want to interfere. There are authorized persons to take decisions. My only aim was to provide water to north Karnataka."