Mangaluru: Environmentalists opposing the Yettinahole project are shocked and aghast at the decision of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to permit chopping of 5,000 trees for it and warn that it could harm the ecology of the Western Ghats and hit water supply in the region.
“The decision is unfortunate. Cutting of trees in the Western Ghats will harm its biodiversity and its water sources,” said Sahyadri Sanchaya convener, Dinesh Holla, who has been campaigning against the Yettinahole project.
Explaining that the grasslands and trees in the catchment areas of the Netravathi played a major role in absorption of water into the soil and in maintaining its water table, he warned that any damage to the catchment area would hit the quantum of water in the river. “The government claims it will get 25 tmcft from Yettinahole project, but if 5,000 trees are cut here I doubt whether any water will be available,” he said. Meanwhile, activist M.G. Hegde said BJP leaders, who were fighting againnst cutting of trees in Bengaluru for a steel bridge, were silent on Yettinahole project as permission for it had been granted by their government at the Centre. But president of the local unit of BJPs Sanjeev Matandoor said he had learnt of permission granted for chopping of trees only on Thursday. “We will discuss it with our MP and plan our future move,” he added.
