Oscar Fernandes Assures to Hold Meeting with CM on Yettinahole Project
Mangaluru: The members of the Nethravati Rakshana Samyukhta Samiti (NRSS) held an interaction on Yettinahole at Sahodaya Hall, Balmatta here on June 21.
Member of the NRSS M G Hegde said that the water from rivers that goes into the sea is not waste water. “We need to bring awareness of this fact among people.”
MLA J R Lobo asked questions to Prof Mayya regarding Yettinahole project. In his response, Mayya said that procedures followed by the engineers is not right. Many of our engineers in positions of power do not know the difference between check dams, vented dams and such. They use whichever configuration they want based on whims rather than logic. They prefer form and money over function. That is what is happening with the Yettinahole project too.
“This project has many consequences and will greatly impact the lives of future generations. Whenever such projects are made, protection of the forests should take precedence over everything else. The Thumbay dam too has many problems. I proposed a plan to make a proper dam but the authorities decided to take another approach that was unscientific and riddled with problems, stating that my consultation fee was high.”
He also said that desalination was not required in the coastal district. “Gulf countries use that method because they do not have natural water resources like we do. We do not need desalination. We have a natural source of water and if we use it properly, we will have sufficient water.”
Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes after listening to the arguments by the members of the NRSS said that he did not have the “power to say anything” but assured to make arrangements for a meeting between those against the project and the Chief Minister along with all concerned officials according to the preference of the protestors.
Oscar also asked the members to fix a date and venue for the meeting. Sri Rajashekharananda Swamiji of Vajradehi Math Gurupura, Sri Esha Vittalasa Swamiji of Sandeepani Math, Kemaru, MLA Shakuntala Shetty, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, MLC Pratapchandra Shetty, former MLA Yogish Bhat ZP President Meenakshi Shanthigodu, Vijay Kumar Shetty, Purushotham Chitrapur, Dinaker Shetty, Satyajit Suratkal and others were also present.
