Activists fighting against the project to divert Yettinahole and other tributaries of Nethravati have expressed their disappointment over the statement of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday that the government was firm on moving ahead with the project. The Chief Minister said this while laying the foundation for the project in Chickballapur.
“I am disappointment with the statement of Mr. Siddaramaiah, whom I held (in) high (esteem). Chief Minister has not been given clear information about the project. He has not thought correctly before making such statement,” said former MLA Vijayakumar Shetty, who is spearheading the protest. Mr. Siddaramaiah has sidelined concerns expressed by people of the region. He was speaking at a meeting to mark the day-long bandh in Dakshina Kannada.
Mr. Siddaramaiah reportedly said there were misconceptions about the project which being spread by some ill-informed people. All India Congress Committee member P.V. Mohan said Mr. Siddaramaiah was behaving like a Chief Minister of a particular part of Karnataka. Mr. Mohan said the Yettinahole project was not merely a drinking water project. Ecologist Madhav Gadgil was opposed to this project. The Chief Minister had failed to convince people who have apprehensions regarding the project. “We will continue to fight and make our point clear when we are called for a meeting by the Chief Minister,” Mr. Mohan said. Steadfast inauguration of the project only showed that the government was politicising it to make electoral gain.
Activist and artist Dinesh Holla said there was no other option than to pursue the legal route to stop the project.
