Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Sep 18: Chairman of Western Ghat Workforce, Anant Hegde Ashisara, asserted here on Thursday September 17, that the diversion of Netravati River is impracticable, as the plans has the potential to wreak havoc with the water sources of the Western Ghats, rich varieties of fish thriving in the river water and the lives of the people living in coastal Karnataka.
Addressing a press conference here, he said that the scientists have already declared the proposed river diversion as unscientific. The Workforce had earlier recommended to the government, to shelve this project, duly explaining the likely catastrophic after-effects of river diversion, connecting of rivers etc. In the past, the proposal to connect River Bedti with Varada River had been dropped after it faced stiff resistance, he explained.
"The interim report, slated to be submitted to the Chief Minister on September 26, contains reports and recommendations about various aspects about conservation of Western Ghats and the bio-diversity there. We have recommended for the formation of district, taluk and village-level bio-diversity committees under the deputy conservator of forests, social forestry department. There are plans to strengthen the environmental development committees in areas falling under the Western Ghats, by including the aboriginals and tribal people living in Western Ghat regions,” he added.
In tune with the Workforce recommendations to fill in the vacant posts in the forest department, about 800 people are being recruited to the department shortly. The Workforce had sought all of them to be assigned to the Western Ghats. The Workforce has also sought for ammending the recruitment rules to pave way for absorbing local people, he added.
He expressed happiness about the shelving of the proposed thermal power plant in Uttara Kannada district and termed it as a victory for the struggle of the common people.
Range forest officer Clifford Lobo and deputy forest conservator M M Jaya were present.