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Friday, March 29 2024
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Mangaluru

Change of path due to Yettinahole Project

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Mangaluru: The gloom of disasters happening in the Western Ghats for the last two to three years is yet to fade away. In the meantime, the Government on its own is inviting more human centric trouble by meddling with nature.

For the last six years, earth movers have been excavating at Western Ghats, Sakaleshpura, Hasan District for implementation of Yettinahole Project.  The natural path of the Yettinahole River is being diverted. This river is the main source of the controversial Yettinahole project being implemented by Viswshwaraih Jala Nigam Ltd [VJNL] of the state government.

Two weirs are constructed, one at Kumbardi and the other at heggadde of Marana halli near Sakaleshpur. Three large pipelines of the project have to pass through the cress crossed river. For this purpose, bridges are constructed at few locations. Since the river is running parallel to the pipelines, on both sides the natural path of the river is being changed, thus destroying the existing path.

Near Weir -8, the natural path of the river has been razed by excavating the hills and a new path has been provided for the river. On the path of pipeline, in order to straighten the braided river, hillocks have been dug and river path has been moved to newly prepared 150 KM valley. The locals have informed that the river path has been changed from the last rainy season i.e., 2 to 3 Months back.

The natural path of the river running parallel to the NH 275 from Heggadde to Sakaleshpura is being diverted again at Mel Yettinahalli. Three pipelines are laid across the river within a distance of few meters near Mel Yettinahalli across the river ahead of the bridge on the National Highway. In view of the National Highway, VJNL has decided to divert the natural path of the river.

Despite the opposition from the coastal people and environmentalists, the Government is going ahead with the implementation of the project. As a result, for the last two to three years, landslides have occurred at the project sites too. Further, diversion of rivers, excavation of hillocks, felling of trees will invite more natural calamities in future.

Keeping aside scientific facts, a lot of repercussions can occur once this plan becomes implemented completely. First of all, the manipulation of the river in such a way will reduce the downstream inflow of the Nethravathi river which is the source of drinking water for Mangaluru and other places. Those who look forward to letting this project happen claim that they are only taking the excess water which goes to the oceans but this does not seem like the case. Experts claim that this will drastically affect the salinity of the ocean water.

“Human intervention in these lands will definitely affect the biodiversity of the region. For the project to be carried out, a major fraction of water is needed in excess which is not there,” said T.V Ramachandra, scientific officer at the Indian Institute of Science, centre for ecological sciences. He says that the best way to prevent drought in these areas is to introduce a decentralised harvesting structure and not by building of dams and creating river diversions. “Such projects are only going to benefit the contractors, engineers and not the people who are in need,” he said.

Multiple dams will have to build for the project, which will inevitably lead to a lot of damage. Even if the government claims that its only minimal, these small amount of damages together can create a big effect on the ecological balance. Loss of biological diversities existing in the land can ultimately lead to long term damage in the region.

Another fault with the plan which experts claim is that the water will mostly have evaporated by the time it reaches the places like Kolar. There is not that much of excess water to flow over all these places and provide for irrigation, drinking etc.

The diversion of river at the Yettinahole project not only results in deprivation of natural path of river but also amounts to contempt of court. The National Green Tribunal in its May-2019 verdict suggested to keep an eye on violation of environment protection Act. The order also directs that in case of any violation, the Dept of Forest, Ministry of Environment and Forests is permitted to inspect the project. Currently the project has violated the rules pertaining to Environment Protection. We will have to wait and watch what action the State and Central Government likely to take.

“Even though the government had changed, the mindset remains the same. In our society, such illogical projects will continue to happen as long as the authorities fail to see the damage that we have done so far,” said Mr Ramachandra.

 

Photo Courtesy- Wikimedia commons

 

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