Protests against the Yettinahole river diversion project, posing a threat to the Nethravati river, the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada district, has mounted with the Karavali Jeevanadi Nethravati Rakshana Samiti calling a meeting of 23 organisations representing all sections of society here tomorrow.
Samiti Vice-President M G Hegde said in a release here that the meeting would be held in the evening at Balmatta in the city.
Purushottama Chitrapura, Deputy Mayor of the Mangaluru city corporation and a member of the Samiti, had questioned the project in the southern zone of the National Green Tribunal, the hearing of which is posted for September 28.
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National Institute of Technology, Karnataka (NIT-K) former professor S G Mayya would address the meeting and explain the dangers of the project, Hegde said. A total of 23 organisations representing Hindu, Chiristian, Muslim and other religions had been invited for the meeting.
The Samiti termed as 'meaningless' the government's offer to conduct a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) of the project through the revenue department. The green group 'Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya' had also described the SIA as 'inappropriate and a mockery' as all the experts had said that the project was unscientific.
In a release here, the Sanchaya convenor Dinesh Holla said the government should first conduct the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before moving forward with the project which would harm the Western Ghats and result in the loss of about of Rs 13,000 crore of public money which was to be spent for it.
State Forests , Environment and Ecology Minister, B Ramanath Rai, who is also district in-charge, and senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes, had to face a barrage of questions from reporters yesterday on the issue at a press meet they held at Pilikula near here. Rai evaded several queries posed to him saying it was up to the Chief Minister and Major Irrigation minister to answer the questions.
