Mangaluru/HASSAN: The bustling national highway and bus stand in Belthangady turned into a playground on Wednesday. Buses and other vehicles remained off the road and people were seen playing cricket, watching rooster fights and playing games on the roads in the morning!
This was part of the protest and Taluk Bundh called by Netravati Ulisi Horata Samithi-Belthangady against Yettinahole project. People of Belthangady taluk expressed their anger against the Yettinahole Project by voluntarily participating in the bandh. Over 43 organisations including political parties, community outfits and social outfits had extended their support to the voluntary bandh. The uniqueness of the protest was that the bundh was observed even at the village level. Shops and financial institutions downed their shutters as mark of protest. All activities came to a grinding halt on Wednesday between 7 am and 6 pm. The temple town of Dharmasthala too participated in the bandh.
Shops were closed and vehicles remained off the road. KSRTC cancelled about 413 trips in the taluk including those plying to Bengaluru. Officials said that KSRTC refunded the money to those who had booked ticket in advance.
Protest rallies were held in villages and also in places like Belthangady and Ujire. Tyres were burnt in two places while a motorbike was set ablaze at Santekatte.
Samithi Convener Pushparaj told reporters that the bandh was held voluntarily by the people of Belthangady Taluk. “We are against the unscientific Yettinahole project and want the government to stop the project. We will have to intensify the fight if the government does not heed us and continues with the project,” he warned.
Yettinahole protest draws outside support
The Yettinahole agitation is now drawing the attention of activists outside the state. Activists of Conservation Action Trust (CAT) based in Mumbai, River Research Centre, Kerala and South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) of New Delhi, who are keenly watching the developments, are worried that the Project would do considerable damage to environment in the bio-diversity rich Sakleshpur of Western Ghats.
Under the project, Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) of the state government plans to divert water from west flowing streams of Sakleshpur in Hassan to eastern part districts of Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural among others.
Mumbai-based Conservation Action Trust is also concerned about the damage to bio-diversity from Yettinahole project. Executive Trustee of CAT Bedi Goneka told Deccan Chronicle over phone from Mumbai, “We are apprehensive that the Yettinahole project would harm the bio-diversity in the project area of Sakleshpur and river Gundia basin which is a rich bio-diversity area of Western Ghats.”
Criticising Union minister for Environment and Forests, Prakash Javadekar, Mr Goenka said, “The Minister is in a hurry to give forest clearances to the projects. Instead of initiating measures to protect forests, the Union minister talks of issuing permits for mining in forest areas without considering its impact.”
Latha Anantha of River Research Centre of Kerala observes that Yettinahole project is being rushed through without proper studies without knowing the impact of downstream areas and also Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).
