Ready to sacrifice lives; but, won't allow Netravati diversion'

June 19, 2011

Mangalore, June 19: “We are ready to sacrifice our lives, but will not allow to divert River Nethravathi, the lifeline of coastal districts of Karnataka,” said Rohitaksha Rai, DK district unit President of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha.

Like Mr Rai, a number of local activists, experts and representatives of the people expressed their strong opposition to controversial 'Netravati Diversion Project' at a meeting convened on Sunday, here, by Nethravathi Balakedarara Vedike, a forum of the river users.

The problems faced by farmers and fishermen community in Dakshina Kannada would double along with worsening of the drinking water scarcity if the proposed project was implemented, warned former MLA Vijayakumar Shetty, who suggested a strong apolitical movement against the project.

S G Mayya, professor, Department of Applied Mechanics and Hydraulics, National Institute of Technology - Karnataka, Surathkal, said that the people of this coastal district should be very cautious at this juncture as the government had been trying to mislead people in this issue.

Surendra Rao, a Bantwal based activist, pointed out that the government of Karnataka, in its agriculture budget for 2011-12, had mentioned that it had reserved Rs 200 crore for “making water available” to parched districts from the Yettinahole canal.

“The government had masked the name of the Nethravati by calling it Yettinahole. People unfamiliar with the Western Ghats would not know that Yettinahole was a major tributary of the Nethravati,” he said.

Mr Mayya said that the river diversion project is not only unscientific and impractical but also is ecologically unsustainable and socio-economically inequitable. He pointed out that the G S Paramashivaiah Committee, which had raised the proposal of river diversion for the first time, too had no clear concept of the project.

The advocates of the project say that the 'excess' water of the river can be utilised for better purposes, as a large quantity of the Netravati water is going to Arabian Sea. Mr Mayya said that such arguments doesn't make any sense because when the coast is parched for eight months in a year, the government must be providing water to the downstream rather than planning to divert water.

“River water must flow to sea. Why are we forgetting aquatic life? Fishermen will be in trouble if the inflow to sea reduces,” he said.

Janata Dal (Secular) State unit secretary M G Hegde, convenor of the Vedike PV Mohan, secretary of the National Fish Workers' Forum Vasudev Boloor and Kannada activist Annaiah Kulal were present among others in the meeting. The Vedike at the end of the meeting decided to write to Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat and Mangalore City Corporation to pass resolution urging the government to drop the project.

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News Network
July 31,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 31: BJP leader CP Yogeshwar has slammed Yediyurappa supporters and said the JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy is supporting BJP.

Speaking to the reporters, Yogeshwar said, "Congress president DK Shivakumar and Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy, both are Yediyurappa supporters."

"His words seem to support the BJP. All that Kumaraswamy had said, during our government's rule, are happening including the officers they mentioned are being transferred. He has come forward to support BJP from the back door," Yogeshwar.

While reacting to allegations made by CP Yogeshwar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar has said that earlier Yogeshwar requested for State Legislative Council (MLC) member ticket and now such people are blaming me without any evidence. This shows his dishonesty to his party and the kind of person he is." 

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Media Release
June 9,2020

Mangaluru: Continuing the relief work they started in the wake of the Corona Lockdown, ‘Team B-Human’ a local social organization is reaching out to the migrant workers who are stuck here in the region, unable to return to the homes.

Team of volunteers of the organization reached out to the migrant workers and distributed essential items including clothes and footwear of men, women, and kids.

Earlier, the organization had reached out to thousands of migrant workers and needy families and had helped them with food kits, Ramadan Kits along with medical assistance to many.

Several migrant workers recently moved back to their respective states, villages with their families, while others, unable to move back for various reasons are stuck here facing several difficulties and plights. The relief work by ‘Team B Human’ has helped several families of migrant workers in these distressing times.

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News Network
April 21,2020

Wayanad, Apr 21: Panic gripped residents of Mananthavady and Mepaddi regions of the district after several cats in the region were found dead.

A group of people approached authorities after which the Animal Husbandry Department tested samples from the carcasses and found that the cat deaths were caused by Feline Parvovirus, which does not transmit to humans.

Speaking to ANI, Dr D Ramachandran, Chief Veterinary Officer, Wayanad said that Feline Parvovirus affects cats and vaccines are available to protect cats and keep the virus at bay.

"There were incidents of cat deaths in Mananthavady and Meppadi region of Wayanad district creating panic among the local residents. The officials of the Animal Husbandry department visited the spots for epidemiological investigations. The samples were collected and sent to the State Institute of Animal Diseases, which confirmed that the deaths were due to Feline Parvovirus. There is no need to worry as this virus does not spread to humans," he said.

A cat owner in Meppadi said that within a span of two-three days, over 13 cats had died in the region.

"We are afraid of these sudden cat deaths amidst coronavirus outbreak. We have informed the Health Department and Animal Husbandry department. Officials came here and collected the samples," she said.

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