Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Dec 5: Senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary on Saturday December 5 warned that if the Karnataka government went ahead with the controversial Yettinahole project, the state would witness a calamity greater than the one witnessed in Chennai, where torrential rains and resulting floods over the past few days left hundreds dead and many stranded.

Addressing a press meet at the district Congress office here, Poojary said, "The Karnataka government is getting ready to implement the Yettinahole project. The chief minister has conducted an all-party meeting on this issue and announced that the project would be implemented. He has given a proposal to the union goverment demanding 13 hectares of forest land. Opposition party leader Eshwarappa has also suppoted this project and given suggestion to the government to utilized 252 hectares of land and start the process. It clearly shows that the opposition and the governmant both want to implement the Yettinahole project and are taking steps towards this.

"They have not learnt lessons from the Chennai disaster. The calamity that took place in Chennai shows that such things happens because people go against nature. In Chennai there was no way for water to flow out. It was a man-made disaster.

"In Karnataka there were 20 lakes, but they were filled with mud to construct markets, bus stand, university and playgrounds. The day is not far away when such a disaster may happen in Bengaluru, and if it does happen, the effect would be ten times greater than what happened in Chennai," he warned.

"The Chennai disaster is a lesson not only for us but for all the cities in the country. The greed for money and power among builders, politicians and officers is making them go against nature. From this if you do not learn a lesson, you will face serious backlash from nature," he added.

"In Yettinahole project, the west flowing river would be diverted to the east, and it would cause damage to the Western Ghats. We will also face the same consequences and a disaster may happen in this region too," Poojary said.

"When Karnataka the government came forward to give Rs 5 crore as relief to Tamil Nadu, its chief minister Jayalalithaa rejected it. She turned down relief funds not only from Karnataka but also from other states. She did this because of her ego. But then she has taken Rs 1,060 announced by the union government - this is the tax money collected from citizens from all over India, including from Karnataka. How can she take that money? Why did not she reject it?" he questioned.

Slamming chief minister Siddaramaiah for announcing only Rs 5 crore as relief for Tamil Nadu, he said, "Siddaramaiah should have given more. By announcing a paltry Rs 5 crore, he has shown his pettiness. If he really has any concern for humanity, he should have announced at least Rs 25 crore."

He appreciated the union government for announcing Rs 1,000 crore for Tamil Nadu, but also criticized Prime Minister Modi, saying, "The value of rupee is going down. You (Modi) are travelling from one country to another country, but you have not given details about how much you havespent on these foreign tours. Even when enquired through RTI, the PMO refused to give details. You are emabarrassing your own people by going to foreign countries and begging. This is a question of the credibility of 125 crore people.

"The stock market is down and builders are in a position to commit suicide. If any of my statements above are wrong, you can file a case against me," Poojary challenged.

Slamming the tradition wherein some temples prohibit the entry of women, he said, "The soul of a woman is spiritually divine and the government should step in to stop these kinds of practices. In Kudroli Shree Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, there is no such practice and anyone is free to enter it."

Commenting on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's recent remarks on construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Poojary pointed out that after the demolition of Babri Masjid, BJP had lost power in three states. "This was the consequence BJP had faced," he added, without elaborating further.

To a question by reporters on the Yettinahole project, he referred to the padayatra led by MPs Nalin Kumar and Shobha Karandlaje and said that they should not only undertake padayatra but Nalin Kumar should also file an affidavit in the National Green Tribunal stating that he is an MP representing this region.