Mangaluru: Several green activists and environment conservationists have urged the government to initiate measures to stop the unabated destruction of the wildlife and environment, during a state-level environment conference of the National Environment Care Federation (NECF) at the Tree Park in Tannirbavi.
The pollution of the two main rivers in the Dakshina Kannada district was among the 36 issues discussed at the second state-level environmental conference. The activists also demanded that the government implement the Madhav Gadgil committee report to conserve the environment.
NECF general secretary H Shashidhar Shetty asked the government to step in to stop the pollution of rivers by construction waste. “The rivers and lakes are levelled to construct buildings. Authorities must come up with a policy for the proper disposal of construction waste,” he said.
NECF member Gopiaka demanded strict action against those who dump untreated effluents, plastic items, liquor bottles and human waste into the Nethravathi and Phalguni rivers, which harms the fish and other marine creatures.
Activist and artist Dinesh Holla opined that the damage to the Nethravathi and Phalguni rivers in the Western Ghats is the sole reason for the landslides and floods in the Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada.
Senior assistant director, coastal regulatory zone U Mahesh Kumar said that cases were booked against those who dump construction waste into rivers. He said that colleges in the district must follow awareness programmes to keep the river bed free from pollution. He also expressed helplessness to solve the issues effectively due to a shortage of staff at his office.
The activists also urged that the turtles and cobras be saved as they are rare and threatened with extinction, owing to large scale pollution.
Animal activist Suma Nayak urged the government to introduce more practical classes on the environment in the school syllabus.
The conference, held along the seashore, was presided over by social activist Ravindranath Shanbhag, Padma Shri awardee Sukri Bommagowda, Tulasi Gowda, activist Diego Bastav Siddi and hundreds of students and artists.
