The Member of Parliament (MP) from Dakshina Kannada, Nalin Kumar Kateel, began his four-day ‘paad-yaatra’ from Mangaluru to Yettinaholey in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district on Saturday.
The MP is opposing the moves of the Karnataka Government to divert Yettinaholey stream in the western ghat region to eastern districts in the State.
Green activists from Dakshina Kannada district are of the opinion that any move to divert the west-flowing Yettinaholey stream to the eastern parts will have an impact on the eco-sensitive western ghat region and will also impact the Nethravathi River flowing in the district. Yettinaholey is one of the tributaries of Nethravathi River. Nethravathi joins the sea in Mangaluru.
Kateel will cover 122 km during his four-day ‘paad-yaatra’. Addressing the gathering during the flag-off of the ‘yaatra’ in Mangaluru on Saturday, he said he will cover 30 km of stretch every day.
Expressing concern over the viability of the water diversion project, he requested the people from the eastern parts of the state to visit the Yettinaholey region to get first-hand information on the availability of water.
Many green activists, religious heads and workers from Bharatiya Janata Party accompanied Kateel during the flag-off ceremony in Mangaluru.