Bengaluru: “River Cauvery has been nurturing us for generations and the royal dynasty has lived on because of Mother Cauvery,” said Mysuru Maharaja Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, in Mysuru on Monday, while launching an awareness rally on the Cauvery Calling movement launched by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, the founder of Isha Foundation.
The awareness rally was flagged off from the Balarama Gate of the Mysuru Palace, from where a convoy of vehicles started on the campaign. The convoy has volunteers and Rally for Rivers Nadi Veeras who will reach out to farmers in 940 villages of the Cauvery basin in Karnataka. The movement offers a lucrative economic proposition for farmers to partially take up agroforestry, which will help restore river Cauvery to its former glory. The river has shrunk by over 40% from her original flow levels over the last few decades and the campaign is to restore it to its former glory. Dr M.A. Shankar, former Director of Research and Head of Dry Land Farming, GKVK, briefed the volunteers about some key aspects of dry land farming and how planting of trees help save rivers. Cauvery Calling will enable farmers in the river basin to plant 242 crore trees in an economically and ecologically lucrative plan that will revitalise the dying river over a period of time and impact not only the biodiversity of the region but also fa
rmer fortunes.
Former minister S.A. Ramdas too was present.
