BJP leaders march to stall Yettinahole project

MANGALURU: Top BJP leaders of Dakshina Kannada district, led by Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, Captain Ganesh Karnik, MLC, and district unit chief Pratapsimha Nayak, set out on a 120-km padyatra to drum up opposition against Yettinahole drinking water project, on Saturday.

During the four-day march from Mangaluru to Yettinahole (in Sakleshpur Taluk), the longest yet attempted  by leaders of the district unit, would address villagers en route and lay siege to the project site on October 13. They would also address one public meeting every day. Soon after they commenced the march, party workers were seen distributing pamphlets to all passersby, asking them to oppose the project.

“I will raise this issue in forthcoming session of Lok Sabha. This project should stop. We are not against people of Kolar, but the reality is that there is no water to be provided to them at Yettinahole.
Let government take alternative measures to provide water to them,” Mr Nalin told Deccan Chronicle during the march.

Mr Nalin, who has written to Union water resources minister Uma Bharathi, seeking her intervention, has now decided to meet her and Union minister for ecology and forests Prakash Jawdekar. “After this padyatra, I will meet these two ministers and ask them to intervene and stop the project. Our protest is just the beginning. If the state government does not stop the project, we will intensify the agitation. Our padyatra is supported by all including leaders of other political party. But as the BJP is organising this event, they are unable to come to the forefront,” he added.

The Member of Parliament also clarified that former Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has not given his nod for survey of the project. “It is false allegation that Mr Gowda started the project. He had just given the nod for the survey of the project to study the pros and cons,” he added.

Interestingly, Mr  Nalin refrained from attacking the state government. “We support all organisations which fight against this project and will continue to do so,” he added.