Farmers, environment activists protest against Kalasa-Banduri projects in Karnataka

MLA Asif Sait, who arrived at the protest site, listened to the demands of the environmentalists. He promised to place their demands before the government of Karnataka.

Members of various farmers organisations and environment protection groups held a ‘Rally for Belagavi’ to protest against Mahadayi basin projects, in Belagavi on June 3. Activists demanded an immediate halt to all work going on in the Mahadayi basin, including issue of land acquisition notices and laying large pipelines for the lift irrigation projects.

The rally started from the government Sardar High School ground. Participants held placards and posters stating: ‘Save water, save Western Ghats’, ‘Save Mahadayi, Save Malaprabha’, ‘Stop Mahadayi basin work’ , ‘Our water, our right’. They shouted slogans like ‘We do not want the Mahadayi river diversion project’, ‘If Mahadayi is saved, then Malaprabha will be saved’, ‘Don’t divert our Mahadayi, let it flow freely’.

They marched through Rani Channamma Circle to the office of the Deputy Commissioner. They submitted a memorandum to the government of Karnataka opposing the Mahadayi basin projects, through DC Mohammad Roshan.

“Bhimagarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Khanapur taluk is a very important part of the Western Ghats. It is a globally recognised ecologically sensitive site. It is home to tigers, bears, hyenas, and other wildlife. It is also responsible for rainfall in Khanapur region, that is the birthplace of rivers. Any project in the region will demand cutting of trees and submergence of forest areas. It will threaten the bio-diversity. It could lead to drying up of rivers and desertification of northern Karnataka. The Kalasa-Banduri canal diversion projects will damage the Western Ghats forests in Khanapur. The projects must be abandoned,” they stated in the memorandum.

Environmentalist Suresh Heblikar said, “Western Ghats had contributed greatly to south India. They need to be protected and preserved at all costs. These evergreen forests are home to several species of trees and wildlife. If the canal diversion project is implemented, the Western Ghats will be negatively affected, and rainfall will decrease. This will hit the agricultural sector badly. We will have to beg for food. Therefore, this project should not be implemented.”

Environmentalist Dilip Kamath said, “The Naviluthirtha dam built on the Malaprabha river has filled just four or five times in the last 40 years. This is due to the destruction of forests in Khanapur taluk, which has led to reduced rainfall. All rivers originate in the Western Ghats. If projects that are harmful to the environment are implemented in such places, how will the rivers survive?

“Any river should flow throughout the year. However, due to forest destruction, the Malaprabha is flowing only during the rainy season. The river must flow in the future too. This project should not be implemented if the next generation wants to have water. We are fighting for the environment, not as agents of the Goa government.”