Environmentalists, seers, legislators oppose river linking project in Sirsi

Several spiritual leaders and legislators led a protestation against the State government’s Bedti stream linking task astatine Sirsi successful Uttara Kannada district.

Members of the Bedti-Aghanashini Kolla Sanrakshan Samiti organised the gathering connected Sunday. They passed a solution against the project.

Gangadharendra Swami of Sonda Swarnavalli Mutt said destructive schemes were being brought by the authorities that destruct rivers. “If the people’s representatives of the territory bash not show unity successful the combat against the stream diversion project, the clip whitethorn travel for the radical of the territory to boycott the elections,” helium warned.

Madhavananda Bharathi Swami of Srimannelemavu Mutt opposed the stream linking project, saying that a stream diversion task that could destruct forests could not beryllium allowed.

Bhattakalanka Bhattarak Swami of Jain Mutt said, “We should each realise that lone a authorities that protects quality volition beryllium considered a bully government.”

Brahmananda Swami of Chaitanya Rajarama Ashram, Shiralagi, said the conflict was being fought careless of caste, creed, oregon party. Mahant Swami of Jade Sansthan Math, among others, besides spoke.

B.M. Kumaraswamy, environmentalist, said that diverting h2o from Uttara Kannada to different districts could harm the forests present and besides trim rainfall, which could decision the full intent of diverting surplus h2o to drier districts of northbound Karnataka.

“Successive governments astatine the State and the Centre person been insensitive to our demands. The Union authorities had gone up with the Kaiga atomic task contempt absorption from locals. Same was the lawsuit with the naval base. Now, the Centre is readying its expansion, contempt the information that onshore losers successful the archetypal task person not received due compensation. But successive governments person failed to fulfil our genuine demands similar a super-speciality infirmary for the district,’’ Prof. Kumaraswami said. He urged people’s representatives to explicit their opinions intelligibly against specified projects.

Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, MP, said that helium had written to the Union authorities to behaviour a survey astir the carrying capableness of Uttara Kannada district.

Bheemanna Naik, MLA, said the protecting the district’s situation was much important to him than remaining successful power. Shivaram Hebbar, MLA, urged Minister Mankal Vaidya and Mr. Kageri and different leaders to bring unit connected the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister connected withdrawal of the project.

Shantarama Siddi, MLC, said that each the wood dwellers of the portion were opposed to the project. “All of america could suffer our homes and lands. We volition reason it strongly,” helium said.