NGO lists alternatives to Yettinahole project

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 4 , 2013: At an interaction with reporters of the city, H.A. Kishore Kumar, president of the Malnad Janapara Horata Samiti, lists out the challenges, and the future of the movement against the proposed Yettinahole diversion project.

 

Challenges

Awareness about the project is low here, but protests, rallies and public opinion have begun to turn this… However, in the districts of Kolar, Chickballapur and Bangalore Rural, the project has been projected as the sole and most comprehensive solution for their drinking water woes.

Even Dakshina Kannada politicians change their tone when they address gatherings there.

It is for votes, and in that sense, DK and Hassan districts are minorities compared to the ‘beneficiary’ districts. Because of this, public opinion there is for the project, even though a few, including former MLA G.V. Sriram Reddy have shown opposition.

Way forward

Now, the project has the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) clearance as they have said it is only for drinking water purpose.

However, the project report shows generation of 375 MW of electricity. The report also shows irrigation of 28,000 hectares of land. So, clearly it is not just a drinking water project.

The Ministry had previously rejected the Gundia hydroelectric project, with a committee calling it unscientific. Moreover, the department has not yet rejected or accepted the Madhav Gadgil-led Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel report. If accepted, these projects will not go through. If none of the options works out, we will go to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). We are already in consultation with a lawyer for such a move.

Alternatives

There is a need to give viable alternatives to the government so that environmentalists and other opponents do not get branded as ‘anti-development’.

Some suggestions include rejuvenation of lakes and rivers in the parched districts by constructing check dams, afforestation using local flora species, moratorium on illegal sand mining, ban on borewells in the vicinity of the lakes; usage of water from Hemavati, Tunga Bhadra and Cauvery for these districts; and diverting water flow in canals from Mandya – where water table is unnaturally high, and affecting agriculture – to Kolar.

Demands

An unbiased study should be conducted on the project. An Environment Impact Assessment report should be done, and clearance from the MoEF should be taken.

Public hearings with all stakeholders – including, people of DK, Hassan, Kolar, Chikballapur, Bangalore Rural districts and environmentalists – should be conducted.

 

Courtesy: The Hindu