Green Warriors from DK Boycotted Poll to Gauge Rs 35,000 Crore Yettinahole Project Impact-Having spent crores of money on this project, NO WATER has been found on the site, other than doing damage to the environment
Mangaluru: Even when all the political parties in the state were busy with election activities, green warriors from Dakshina Kannada district were on a journey to the Yettinahole project site in Sakleshpur. A group of activists from the National Environmental Care Federation (NECF), including conservationist Dinesh Holla, and green activist Shashidar Shetty among others, had boycotted the poll only to fact-check the project’s impact on the environment. Activists said that though crores of rupees were spent on the project, no water could be found on the site and irreparable damage had been done to the environment.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean Activist Dinesh Holla said, “Instead of exercising their franchise on 10 May, the team visited the site of the Yettinahole project, which is being taken at an estimated cost of Rs 35,000 crore. “The government has been claiming that 24 TMC of water will be lifted from a small rivulet. During the rainy season, the water from the hillocks of the region flows to Kempuhole via Yettinahole. In the past ten years, they have only damaged the hills, which were major water resources and laid pipelines and constructed buildings. At seven places, natural resources were destroyed, and it may affect Kumaradhara and Kempuhole rivers. This scheme will hurt the Western Ghats and Netravati River,”.
This being an Unscientific project, Holla also cautioned about possible natural disasters due to the project. “While old pipes procured for the project are rusting, the government is bringing new pipes to the site. There is no sign of the project yielding any results, but the project cost could be increased further. The project, which was taken up at an estimated cost of about Rs 13,000 crore, may see an increase in cost up to Rs 50,000 crore or more. The government is inviting another natural disaster through the unscientific project,” he added.
Holla further said “The project areas from Hiridanahalli in Hongadahalla to Kodagarahalli, Aluvalli, Maranahalli, Heggadde, Hebbasale, Hongadahalla, Kerihole, Yettinahole and Kadmane hole are turning into the desert with no trace of water,” He also said that in the past five years, the project areas have been witnessing landslides and tremors.
