Daijiworld Media Network - Sullia (SP)

Sullia, Jan 4: State forest and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, B Ramanath Rai, pointed out that issues relating to execution of Yettinahole had been discussed threadbare in the presence of all the legislators in both the houses, after which the project had received approval of these houses. He felt that the current protests being organized at various places against this project are politically motivated.

Speaking to media persons at Kollamogru near Subrahmanya in the taluk on Sunday January 3, Rai noted that the union ministry for forests and environment had given its nod for the first phase of Yettinahole project. He recollected that a delegation led by Dakshina Kannada MP had met the union minister for environment a few days before this permission was accorded, to impress upon him to stall the project. "The way nod for this project was given by the ministry immediately after the anti-Yettinahole delegation met the minister, has given rise to doubts about the sincerity of the members of this delegation. Had the delegation gone there to stop the project or to hasten it?" he wondered aloud sarcastically.

MLC, Ivan D'Souza, president of Karnataka State Social Welfare Board, Divya Prabha Chilthadka, block Congress president, Venkappa Gowda, party leader, Dr Raghu, and several others were present.