Sahyadri Sanchaya to Hold NOTA Campaign, Planning to Field Candidates
Mangaluru: “In future before implementing any projects related to water, elected representatives should think well. To teach a befitting lesson to elected representatives for taking up the Yettinahole project we the members of Sahyadri Sanchaya thought of holding the NOTA campaign. If we get suitable candidates we will field them in some constituencies”, said the convener of the Sahyadri Sanchaya Dinesh Holla in a press meet held at Hotel Woodlands here on January 23.
Addressing the mediapersons Dinesh Holla said, “If we do not get suitable candidates to contest the elections, we will start the NOTA campaign. In the last MP elections there were 7800 NOTA votes and in the Panchayat elections 28,000 NOTA votes. This time we are expecting more NOTA votes. If we get suitable candidates we will field them in at least 2 or 3 constituencies.”
Dinesh Holla further said, “As part of the campaign we will install boards on the gates of houses which read, “Netravati Rakshisalagada Congress, BJP , JD(S) pakshada yavude rajakaranigalu matha kelalu barabedi, nimage namma mata bahiskara mathu dikkara” (Congress, BJP and JD(S) unable to save Netravati, please do not come to ask for votes). We will provide these boards free of cost.”
Dinesh Holla also said, “Every year we see forest fires in the Western Ghats during the month of March, but this time we have seen forest fires in December because of the involvement of real estate and Ganja Mafia. Thousands of acres of land in Dodderibetta, Ramanabetta, Soppinabetta, Barimale, Banjaramale, Somanakadu, Aliyuru, Venkatagiri, Aramanegudda are in the hands of the mafias. The Forest department is helpless and unable to control these mafias. Hunting is carried out in these deemed forests by making roads. If the officers take action against these mafias, they will be immediately transferred.”
Member of Sahyadri Sanchaya Sashidhar Shetty said, “The forest department has no concern of safeguarding the forests and the animals. We had demanded a Helicopter with the Forest Minister to cope with the forest fires, but he laughed at us and said, “Ours is not a rich country to deploy Helicopters to fight forest fires”. The government is also finding difficulty in taking care of the elephants and is sending them to other states. In the Western Ghats, the Ganja Mafia is rampant and is growing ganja illegally in hundreds of acres of land. They also hunt bisons and other animals and sell the meat for Rs 300 per kilo. In one bison which weighs about a 1000 kilos, they earn up to Rs 3 lakh. Those who are involved in these activities create fear among the people saying that there are Naxals in the area. But in reality, there are no Naxals. The Ganja mafia creates fear among the people in the name of Naxals and carry out illegal activities without fear”.
On January 26, at 10:30 am, Sahyadri Sanchaya will hold a protest “Kanana Rodana” in front of the DC office. The protesters will wear black and green masks during the protest.
Rajesh Devadiga, Pavan, Harish Adyar and Jagadish Salian were also present.
