People opposing the Yettinaholey river diversion project will block the national highway no. 75 (which connects Mangaluru with Bengaluru) at Uppinangady on September 15.

Addressing presspersons in Mangaluru on Friday, Niranjan Rai, coordinator of the committee set up to oppose the project, said that the project is aimed at diverting River Nethravathi, the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada district.

If implemented, the project will create havoc in the eco-sensitive western ghats region of Karnataka. The source of river cannot be repaired, if it is damaged in the name of this project, he said.

Though the Karnataka Government claims that it will divert 24 tmcft of water from Yettinaholey project, studies by experts have shown that the availability of water will not be more than 9 tmcft.

Whenever this issue was raised with people’s representatives from the area, they create a sympathy wave by stating that the project is aimed at providing drinking water to Kolar district.

He wondered why the Government allowed natural tanks in those areas to go dry, if it was so serious about providing drinking water to Kolar. The geographic condition of the districts in eastern parts of the state requires natural water tanks. The Government should make efforts to rejuvenate such tanks, Rai said.

People of Dakshina Kannada are not against providing drinking water to any district. There are other methods such as rejuvenating natural water tanks in those regions, he said.

Rai said the September 15 blockade of Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway is not a token strike. Many non-governmental organisations and other social and religious institutions have expressed their support to this agitation. Even the college students’ association has expressed its support to this protest, he said.

If the Government does not take initiatives to protect the interests of people of Dakshina Kannada, the committee would decide the future course of action after September 15, Rai added.

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