Karnataka: Environmentalists Slam Yettinahole Project Over Risks

Mangaluru: Environmentalists in Dakshina Kannada have expressed serious concerns over the Yettinahole project, which was officially inaugurated on Friday.

For over a decade, activists have opposed the project, arguing that it poses environmental risks and will fail to deliver the promised water supply. They also warn that diverting the rivulet could have severe repercussions for the downstream regions of Coastal Karnataka.

Yettinahole is a tributary of the Netravati River that flows from the Western Ghats (in Hassan district) to the Dakshina Kannada district.

Various protests, including rallies, padayatra, and NOTA campaigns, were organized by different groups, with some even approaching the courts in an effort to halt the project. However, despite changing political regimes, the state government pressed ahead with the initiative. The first phase was finally inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

"The government promised to supply water from Yettinahole to the drought-prone areas of Kolar and Chikkaballapur. The foundation stone was laid in Kolar about a decade ago, but today the inauguration took place in Sakleshpur! It should have been the other way around," Shashidhar Shetty, state secretary of the National Environment Care Federation (NECF), told Deccan Chronicle.

Shetty criticized the project as being politically motivated.

"The foundation stone was laid in Kolar to appease the people there with promises of water. Now, with the state government under pressure due to corruption allegations, this inauguration serves as a distraction. Even the opposition is silent because they, too, hope to benefit when they come to power," he alleged.

Shetty further warned that the project threatens the fragile Western Ghats and could lead to landslides in the region.

Dinesh Holla, convener of Sahyadri Sanchaya, shared similar concerns. "The Netravati River is being severely impacted by this project. The government claims there is sufficient water to supply the drought-hit areas of Kolar and Chikkaballapur, but now even more districts have been added to the list. We are certain there isn't enough water to meet these demands. Ultimately, the government will fail to deliver, and Coastal Karnataka's downstream areas will suffer as well," Holla cautioned.

He added that the Western Ghats and the Netravati River are already facing environmental damage due to the project. "Grasslands and forests in the catchment areas have been destroyed, and we have witnessed landslides in these regions. If this is the situation before the project is fully operational, what will happen once it starts?" he questioned.