Green activists in Dakshina Kannada district, who have been spearheading a campaign against the Yettinahole project for over five years, are seriously thinking of fielding candidates in the Assembly elections in the district. The aim is to raise a voice against this and other projects threatening the Western Ghats in the State.
For now, they have decided to put up display boards in front of apartments and houses in the district targeting political parties, telling them not to come to seek votes.
Dinesh Holla, convener, Sahyadri Sanchaya, a registered body of activists leading the campaign, told The Hindu that activists would convince owners and associations of the apartments to display boards with: ‘Netravathige vanchane maadidavaru mata kelalu barabedi’ (Those who deceived the Netravathi, don’t come seeking votes), to send out a strong message to all political parties..
Mr. Holla said the activists are aware that core workers of the parties and their sympathisers would not heed this.
“Even some among the common people may not agree out of fear of the political parties. But there would be many who would agree,” he said.
The activists plan to meet next month to take a final call on fielding their members as Independent candidates. If no candidate is found worth contesting, the plan would be dropped. The activists’ intention is to field candidates from Bantwal, Mangaluru, Mangaluru City South, Mangaluru City North, and Puttur.
The convener said in case the idea is dropped, the activists will campaign intensely requesting voters to exercise NOTA (none of the above) option as a protest against the project. NOTA votes cast in the district went up from 7,000 votes in the last Lok Sabhha elections in 2014 to 28,000 votes in the zilla and taluk panchayat elections in 2016.
Mr. Holla said activists did rake up the Netravathi issue in the last elections and had appealed to the voters to go for NOTA.
The campaign got good response, especially in Kakkinje, Mundaje, and Belthangady areas.
