Hassan: People of Sakleshpur in Hassan are getting more aggressive in their protest against the Yettinahole project, erecting signboards warning “Trespassers will be prosecuted” both in English and Kannada to keep the agencies concerned from entering their villages to execute it.
The Yettinahole project is expected to divert water from the river Netravathi to the dry Arasikere, Tumkur, Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts.
Afraid it could harm their environment and deprive them of water, the people have erected the warning signboards in Moganahalli, Nagara, Aluvalli, Kadu Mane, Hiradahalli and other villages.
People of Sakleshpur say they are afraid of losing their land and of their properties being submerged by the new barrages that will be built for it and want the state government to study its social and environmental impact .
Said Norway Rajshekar, an activist opposing the project, “We have visited villages such as Hongadahalla in Sakleshpur to create awareness among people and have asked them to join us.
The response has been good. The villagers have understood that the Yettinahole project could cut inflow of water into the Hemavathy river and affect thousands of farmers in Hassan and Tumkur.”
On Monday, villagers led by advocate Kishore , a member of the Malenaadu Horata Samiti , assembled at the assistant commissioner’s office in Sakleshpur to register their protest.
