Mangaluru: Yettinahole agitators block roads at Pumpwell Circle

Mangaluru, Oct 15: Hundreds of activists belonging to various organisations and residents of Mangaluru staged a major road block at Mahaveer Circle at Pumpwell junction for nearly two hours on Thursday morning. 

The ‘rasta roko’ was organised under the banner of ‘Nethravati Nadi Samrakshana Okkoota’ to exert pressure on the state government to stop the Yettinahole (Nethravati) river diversion project from implementation.

Irrespective of caste, creed and religion, various like-minded organisations such as Sahyadri Sanchaya, Mangaluru, Jeevanadi Nethravati Horata Samiti, Mangaluru, Tulu Rakshana Vedike, Mangaluru, All College Students’ Assocation, Mangaluru, Nethravati Nadi Samrakshana Vedike, Bantwal, Kannada Rakshana Vedike, Mangaluru, and Swaroopa Research Centrecame together and participated in the ‘rasta roko’ programme, to offer their full-fledged support in opposing the Yettinahole project. 

Organisations offer solidarity to 'rasta roko'

Several other organisations such as Christian Youth Association, Mangaluru Bar Assocation, Muslim Central Committee, Dakshina Kannada, DK unit of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, DK unit of Janata Dal (Secular), Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Dakshina Kannada, DK unit of Akhila Bharata Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), district units of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Dakshina Kannada, Dakshina Kannada Journalists Union, the district unit of Taximen and Maxicab Association, the local units of fishermen’s association and tailors association and others were also a part of the ‘rasta roko’ to show their solidarity towards the cause of saving Nethravati river and Western Ghats.

Addressing the protestors, convenor of Nethravati Nadi Samrakshana Okkoota Dr Niranjan Rai said that the government had submitted an affidavit in the National Green Tribunal that the people of Dakshina Kannada had no right to the water from Nethravati river. The government is trying to force on people in the state that there is excess of water in Nethravati river throughout the year. It should not mislead the people by making false statements, he said, adding that the struggle would continue till the project was shelved.

He said that it was saddening that some elected representatives were a part of the injustice meted out to people in the district. While the respective local MLAs supported the farmers in the Kalasa-Banduri issue, the MLAs of Dakshina Kannada do not have the courtesy to heed the concerns of the people here. Since the government is taking the opposition lightly, the agitation has to continue to stop the project, he stressed.

Former MLA and activist Vijayakumar Shetty said that ever since the Nethravati river diversion project was proposed in 2011, different chief ministers in power including B S Yeddyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and Siddaramaiah had assured that the project would not be implemented without the people’s consent. “I am very disappointed in the present government, which is negligent about the concerns facing the people in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. Even after a resolution has been passed in the Mangaluru City Corporation and Zilla Panchayat against the project, the government in power has not heeded the demands of the people, he criticised. 

Representatives from the Bishops House Fr William Menezes and Fr J B Crasta, Gurudevananda Swamiji of Odiyoor Mutt, Bantwal, Esha Vittaladas Swamiji of Kemaru Sandipani Mutt, Moodbidri, Rajashekharananda Swamiji of Vajradehi Mutt, Gurupura, Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo, Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Capt Ganesh Karnik, Dr Annaiah Kulal, S P Chengappa of Mangaluru Bar Association, Bhaskar Rao of Kaveri Horata Samiti, Ajith Kumar Malady, Dinesh Holla, former Mayor K Ashraf and several others participated in the protest. 

Proclaiming his support to the agitation, Gurudevananda Swamiji of Odiyoor Mutt said that the pontiffs of several mutts would hold a joint deliberation along with the participation of other like-minded organisations in this regard.

Esha Vittaladas Swamiji, Rajashekharananda Swamiji, activist M G Hegde, Rafeeuddin Kudroli from UNIWEF, advocate Dinakar Shetty, Jeetendra Kottary and others also proclaimed their support to the agitation against Yettinahole protest.