Mangaluru: Activists fighting against Yettinahole project feel that the struggle needs to be strengthened rather than concentrating on issues like separate statehood.
In an effort to oppose the river diversion project, some organisations and individuals had voiced demands for separate statehood for coastal Karnataka. "Separate statehood seems to be a non-practical demand at present. Even if portions of Chikkamagaluru, Uttar Kannada and Kasargod are added to Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to carve out a seperate state, it would only add up to 20 assembly constituencies. Also the fight for separate statehood is a long process. It could also divert attention from the main issue-the river diversion project. The government might silently complete the project then," activist and Karavali Jeevanadi Netravati Rakshana Samithi vice president M.G. Hegde told Deccan Chronicle."
Instead, all activists and organisations should join hands and put a united fight against Yettinahole and similar issues that bother the people of the coastal belt," he said.
However he warned that a stubborn stand on the part of the government would only strengthen the demand for statehood.
“If the state government neglects people of the coastal belt and continues to be stubburn on projects like Yettinahole, the voice for separate statehood would get stronger," he warned.
"If the government continues with the Yettinahole project, there could be friction between the peopleof the coastal districts and the hinterland on water sharing.
“The only method to solve this could be the setting up of a river tribunal. As a river tribunal is set only between two states and not on water issues within the state, carving out a seperate state could help in setting up a tribunal to solve the problem," an expert said.
