While expressing concern over the pollution in the Phalguni and Netravathi rivers, environmental activists at a conference here on Sunday said that the government should step in to take effective measures to stop dumping of construction waste and letting untreated effluents into the rivers.
Pollution of the two main rivers in Dakshina Kannada was among the 36 issues discussed at the second State-level “Parisara Sammelana” (a conference on environmental issues) organised by the National Environment Care Federation, a body of environmentalists, at the Tree Park in Tannirbavi.
Raising the issue, NECF member Gopika said that untreated effluents let into the two rivers are harming fish and other sensitive creatures. Liquor bottles were being dumped along the river banks, she said.
NECF convener H. Shashidhar Shetty said that there are many instances of construction waste being dumped in the riverbed. The city still does not have an effective way to dispose of construction waste. The water bodies were being levelled for building multi-storeyed structures, he said.
Activist and artist Dinesh Holla said that the landslips in Belthangady taluk following heavy rain in August last year was the fall-out of the damage caused to the source of the Netravathi and the Phalguni in the Western Ghats.
Senior Assistant Director, Coastal Regulatory Zone, U. Mahesh Kumar, said that action was being taken against transporters dumping construction waste in the riverbeds. “Recently, three lorries were booked and these cases are now before the Regional Transport Office,” he said and added that it was difficult for his office with two staff members to keep a tab on activities along the long riverbed.
He said that like students of School of Social Work, who are creating awareness on keeping riverbeds clean in Ullal, other colleges should take up similar exercises in other parts of the district.
When an activist pointed out that farmers living near the forests are being provided with 10 kg of gun powder for killing wild animals, advocate B. Jinendra Kumar said that the issue needs to be raised before the High Court of Karnataka in the form of public interest litigation.
Activist Suma Nayak said that curriculum of primary and secondary classes should be changed to give more marks for practicals in environmental science.
Activist Ravindranath Shanbhag, Padmashree award winners Tulasi Gowda and Sukri Bommagowda and activist Diego Bastav Siddi spoke. The programme began with a procession. Students from different educational institutions and artists took part.
