Mangaluru: With the government refusing to give up the Yettinahole project despite the growing opposition to it from the coastal districts, people of Dakshina Kannada held a peaceful dawn to dusk voluntary bandh on Thursday as a mark of protest.
Private and government buses stayed off the roads and shops lowered their shutters in support of the bandh. Many educational institutions and organisations too declared a holiday.While a car was set ablaze and tyres were burnt on the roads in Belthangady and other places, the bandh was largely peaceful.
“People came out in huge support of the bandh because they have understood the importance of water. Mangaluru city gets water only once in six or seven days today. If this is the situation now, we can only imagine how bad it will get after the Yettinahole project gets underway ,” said Mr U K Shenoy, an employee of a private firm in Yeyyadi.
Khader: BJP politicising river diversion project
Accusing the BJP of politicising the Yettinahole project, Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader said on Thursday that it was first okayed in the Legislative Assembly during the government of Mr D V Sadananda Gowda, who hails from DK.
“Funds were allotted in the budget for the project and the work is going on. Now whether one supports or opposes it, nothing will stop it,” he told reporters here.
