Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP) 

Udupi, Sep 22: An interaction of the press with the convener of 'Sahyadri Sanchaya', environmentalist, and activist, Dinesh Holla, was arranged on Saturday September 21 at Udupi Press Club. 

Addressing the gathering, Holla cautioned that even nature's patience has a certain limit. "If the limit of patience is breached, the Western Ghats will begin to adversely affect the people. This is happening because of unscientific projects like Yettinahole," he lamented. 

Holla said that the environment is getting permanently damaged because of unscientific projects of the government. He claimed that projects being implemented there by the government are in excess of carrying capacity of the Western Ghats. "As if the damage inflicted by the projects already implemented are not enough, another long list of projects has been lined up for being executed in this eco-sensitive region. The nature retaliated this time in the form of water explosion although it has been given the name, flood, which is much simpler form. Because of excesses like forest encroachment, home stays, resorts, land mafia etc, we are experiencing such reaction from the nature. Even after 45 days, the government has failed to study the causes for the deluge this year. Without making any preparations, it is just waiting for the catastrophe that may be caused by the next rainy season," he stated. 

Holla insisted on implementing Kasturirangan or Gadgil committee report for the survival of Western Ghats, lest he expressed the fear that the Ghat will be like a field sans fence that is open for being plundered by all and sundry. "Already pasture land is getting destroyed. When interference by humans becomes excessive, flood and other natural calamities happen, which is a way in which the nature tries to calm itself," he stated. He termed this phenomenon as man-made disaster and slammed politicians who claim that Yettinahole does not have connection with Kumaradhara. 

Holla pointed out that forest tracts in the same hilly terrain are experiencing forest fires year after year. He felt that movement of vehicle through Charmadi and Shiradi Ghat is not advisable as landslides keep happening there. He also revealed that the layer of the earth which holds water there has been eroded. 

"Government irrigation schemes and projects are gimmicks to bag money, votes, and power. Yettinahole, a project aimed at deceiving people, will never be completed. The project will go on being executed even after several years. In the recent past, even beneficiaries of this project have started to oppose it. Still, the government is trying to go ahead with it," he criticized. 

Dinesh Holla expressed dismay at the fact that the Western Ghats are being used by the common people as garbage bin, while the government treats it as ATM. He felt that the Ghat should become a study centre. He felt that . as regards environmental concern, the people get awakened to the seriousness of the issue only when religion is attached to it. 

"Aborigines and tribals never inflict harm to nature. But home stays and resorts, that are being built in the name of development of forests, have become deadly for the survival of the forests," he asserted. He expressed desperation at the fact that the departments concerned express helplessness as they are under compulsion, and the officials raise their hands in sheer frustration.A