Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Jan 4: Former MLA and president of Karavali Jeevanadi Netravati Rakshana Samiti Vijaykumar Shetty on Monday January 4 slammed union minister D V Sadananda Gowda (DVS) on his recent statements regarding the controversial Yettinahole project while activist M G Hegde challenged DVS to take an oath at Dharmasthala if there was no irregularity in the project as claimed by him. Sadananda Gowda during his recent visit to Puttur had said that he was unaware of the delegation led by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel to meet union ministers on Yettinahole project, and had termed the activists fighting against the project as 'cheats'.
Addressing a press meet here, Vijaykumar Shetty said, "Sadananda Gowda's statements show to what level he has stooped. He became a politician and chief minister representing the Dakshina Kannada district, and now he is making such statements. It is not right on his part. Where was DVS when BJP held padayatra from Garodi temple to Yettinahole against this project? Was he sleeping when Nalin Kumar Kateel raised this issue in the Lok Sabha? Even the media have reported it. Hence his statements are unforgivable. DVS and Veerappa Moily are the ones who initiated this project.
"As a political representive, Nalin Kumar took us to meet the union ministers. The project was started with an initial outlay of Rs 8,500 crore and now it has come up to Rs 13,000 crore. There is no official deadline for the project," he added.
"The officials of the regional empowered committee recently visited the project site, but they kept away the revenue officers who actually had proper details about the land. The CAG report also terms this project as illegal. This project has been undertaken keeping several departments away and it is full of irregularities. No meeting was held with the stakeholders as had been assured," he said.
"This is nothing bust a money making project for bureaucrats and politicians," Shetty alleged.
Prof S G Mayya said, "The officers and political representatives who are from this region are a threat to the district and you can never expect anything from them."
Producing the recent report of the regional empowered committee and stating that it was full of contradictons, he said, "There are several contradictions in the report and I am ready to expose them point by point. The regional empowered committee officers are under pressure. It is entirely a strategy of fraud.
"Five projects have been undertaken under turnkey tender process. Yettinahole project is being shown as just a drinking water project. If they want drinking water let them take it from Linganmakki or Krishna rivers. This project is technically absurd," he said.
"The regional empowered committee has violated the forest laws. The NIOT has reported that salinity of water in Netravati has increased to a stretch of 21 km from 14 km," he added.
Activist M G Hegde termed Sadananda Gowda and Veerappa Moily as 'traitors' and said, "They should come for a face-to-face discussion. If there is no irregularity, let D V Sadananda Gowda take an oath in Dharmasthala that not a single rupee has been misused by bureacrats and politicians in this project. If he does, that I will bow out of this movement.
"After irregularities in the railway department, DVS was thrown out of the Modi government. He should seek apology from the people of Dakshina Kannada for calling the activists 'cheats'. Even BJP people have participated in this movement, hence he should apologise to all," he added.
Activist and BJP member Ramachandra Baikampady said, "Sadananda Gowda should be boycotted in the district. We will be sending the entire report of this project to Prime Minister Narendra Modi."