Criticising the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited’s advertisement and comments made by some politicians casting aspersions on the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) report on the Yettinahole diversion project, T.V. Ramachandra, IISc. scientist, has said that his report is based on facts and ground reports that highlight the threat to ecosystems due to “irrational” decisions.
He was replying to questions raised against the report prepared a group of researchers of IISc., headed by Mr. Ramachandra, who is the coordinator of Energy and Wetlands Research Group of the IISc. He added that it was the concern for ecology they have taken up studies, including the one on Yettinahole.
“Scientists work towards the betterment of society (irrespective of region, religion) unlike bureaucracy and small-time politicians (who divide and rule),” Mr. Ramachandra said in his open letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, dated October 21, wherein he had asked the Chief Minister to stop the Rs. 13,000-crore project as it was “ecologically and economically unviable”.
An advertisement appeared in several newspapers on September 27 wherein the Chief Engineer of KNNL claimed that the report of the Energy and Wetlands Research Group was not authorised by the IISc. KNNL further claimed that Mr. Ramachandra was not a hydrologist.
In his response, Mr. Ramachandra said that their group had a fair knowledge of the situation in the Western Ghats and also in Kolar and other arid regions as they carried out extensive research since the 1990s.
The availability of 0.85 tmcft of water for diversion from Yettinahole had been calculated based on official figures and in conformity with calculations by reputed hydrologists.