NGOs oppose Netravati diversion

Mangalore, March 22: Karavali Mahila Jagruti Vedike, Krishikara Vedike-Karnataka, Dakshina Kannada Parisaraskthara Okkoota, Nagarika Seva Trust and Dalit Abhivruddhi Samiti of Belthagady taluk have opposed the State Government's move to divert the west-flowing Netravati to provide water to Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural, Tumkur, Chickballapur, Kolar and Chitradurga districts.

In a statement issued here on Monday, they said the project would affect farmers, fishermen and people of Mangalore (who depended on the river for drinking water), besides destroying evergreen forests.

It would also affect fish breeding in the sea.

The project envisaged formation of two canals at 850 metres and 925 metres above the sea level in the Western Ghats – one from Naravi Gadikallu Gudda and another from Galibidu in Madikeri. The project to form canals, one passing through the Yelaniru area and the other through the Shiradi area creating 38 artificial lakes en route, was nothing short of a misadventure, they said.

Machines and equipment used for the project would destroy the flora and fauna of the Western Ghats, already under huge pressure owing to development activities.

They sought to know why the State Government had not taken note of the Centre forming a panel of experts headed by ecological scientist Madhav Gadgil and recommendations of its own task force for protection of the ghats.

Noting that the State Government had earmarked Rs. 200 crore and Union Minister for Law M. Veerappa Moily had promised Rs. 400 crore for the project, they said this development had led to anxiety among the people.

Experts had proved that the project was unscientific, anti-environment and impractical and that there were many pragmatic alternatives, they said.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had announced the project in his February 24 budget speech. Minister for Higher Education V.S. Acharya on Sunday defended it saying only 10 per cent of the water flowing into the sea would be diverted, they said.

They alleged that the BJP and the Congress, which overtly opposed the project, were not against it.

They urged the Government to conduct a field visit for the legislators of parched districts to show why the project could not be undertaken. The project estimation now was Rs. 70,000 crore and it could go beyond Rs. 2 lakh crore when it was implemented.

Effective alternatives could be provided for a mere Rs. 500 crore to Rs. 1,000 crore, they said.