Mangaluru: Activists fighting against Yettinahole river diversion project have decided to meet the Regional Empowered Committee (REC) of the Union environment ministry which is likely to visit Yettinahole on December 26.
Addressing reporters here on Monday, former MLA and Karavali Jeevanadi Netravathi Rakshana Samithi president Vijay Kumar Shetty said the activists would place before the panel the problems people of Dakshina Kannada would face if the project is implemented.
“No decision on clearance for Yettinahole project, was taken in the REC meeting held on December 18. According to sources, the team will visit Yettinahole on December 26 to study the region. Our activists from Dakshina Kannada will meet the team and present our argument against the project,” he said, adding that one of the members of REC, Dr A.N. Yellappa Reddy has opposed the project during the meeting on December 18.
Technical expert and former Professor of NITK- Surathkal S.G. Mayya said that the project was a clear violation of the National Water Policy. “The project violates the preamble and Part 1.3 (vii) of National Water Policy. It violates the basic principles involved in planning, development and management of water resources. Members of Karavali Jeevanadi- Netravathi Rakshana Samithi met Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti and submitted a memorandum to stop the project,” Mayya said.
“As per the policy, the basic hydrological unit for planning is the river basin. But Yettinahole project does not benefit the river basin instead it harms the region,” he said. Speaking about the case filed at the National Green Tribunal (South Zone), Mayya referred to the Advocate General of Karnataka appearing before the NGT. “The Tribunal has extended the stay on project work. But interestingly, the advocate general of the state appeared before the Tribunal on Monday. It looks like this is a move by the state government to appease the people of Chikkaballapura and Kolar who went on a protest demanding implementation of the project on Monday,” he said.
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