Mangaluru, October 17: A talk on ‘Yettinahole project – A scientific survey’ was presented by Dr T V Ramachandra, scientist in the Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, on Friday October 16th at Sanghaniketan here. The event was organized by Mangaluru chapter of Citizens’ Council.
Speaking on this occasion he said, according to the government statics, yearly around 756mm rainfall is received in Chickballapur and 744 mm in Kolar. Instead of spending Rs 13 crores for Yettinahole project and providing 5TMC water, 10 percent of the project amount is sufficient to collect the rain water and provide the water to drought ridden areas. In the DPR of Yetinahole project, it is said that yearly 6,000 mm rain fall will be received. In reality, the rainfall received in the Yettinahole project is only 3,000 to 4,000 only. Now, in the Western Ghats only 45 percentage of the area is covered with greenery. In the Kempu hole area, the greens are vanishing, and if the project continues here, one fine day the Western Ghats will get destroyed, he warned.
Instead of going ahead with the project, the government has to try to rejuvenate the lakes and ponds in Kolar and other districts and take steps for conservation of rainwater. He also stressed on the importance of green cover in order to have enough water, he said.
Yathiraj vice-president of Tumakuru Science Centre, chief guest on this occasion addressed the gathering and said, the state government is showing hurriedness in the Yettinahole project which is dangerous. Due to this, like the drought ridden areas, the Malenad area would also struggle for water, he said.
The 58 main rivers of South India, takes its birth in the Western Ghats. Already in the name of development, the Western Ghats has been damaged. In future, the sustaining capacity of the Western Ghats will decrease and not only for the drought ridden areas, but also the Malnad areas would suffer without water, he warned. There is a need for the debate on immediate as well as the future effects on the implementation of Yettinahole project. As of now, the project is being done only for the political gains. Permission has not been obtained for this project from the forest department. Although the Irrigation Authority has said in before the National Green Tribunal that, till the permission is obtained, no work on the project will be done, but wrong information has been given to court and the project works has been carried out. Even the Forest Department has derelicted its duty. The Forest Minister is also from this place, but has failed in stopping this project, alleged Yathiraj.
Sunil Acharya, president of Citizens Council, Mangaluru, Naresh Shenoy, convener, and others were present on this occasion.
A media release has said, the meeting scheduled on October 19th at Bengaluru on the Yettinahole project has been postponed due to various reasons, and would be held after the ‘Dassara Celebrations’.
