Residents of Sakleshpur on Saturday criticised the State government for taking up the Yettinahole project. They warned the government of launching severe protests in the taluk if their demand was not fulfilled. The residents have formed a committee to oppose the project.
Environmentalists, who are worried about the adverse impact of the project on the taluk, had convened a meeting at Sakleshpur, which was attended by various elected representatives and people from villages likely to be affected by the project. “The meeting was basically to share the information related to the project and its impact on people.
The meeting evoked a good response. People have started raising their voice against the project,” said H.A. Kishor Kumar of the Malenadu Janapara Horata Vedike, one of the organisers of the meeting.
The meeting resolved to constitute a committee under the name of Yettinahole Yojane Virodhi Samiti.
The committee consists of 18 conveners, who will organise the future programmes. “Without conducting a public hearing about the project, the government has started executing it. Revenue Department officials visit agricultural land and conduct surveys, leaving the farmers a worried lot. Our first demand is that the government should stop such activities immediately,” Mr. Kumar said.
The committee had decided to put up banners in all villages with an appeal to the officials concerned not to enter the village in connection with any work related to the Yettinahole project. The committee would take out rallies in villages to spread public awareness about the project, he said.
Environmentalists Sundar Rao and Dinesh Holla attended the meeting.
