Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (TU/CN)

Mangalore, Dec 15: Former information minister B Subbaiah Shetty said on Monday December 15 that a non-political forum, ‘Karavali Haagu Samagra Malenadu Hitharaksana Vedike’, has been formed against the Nethravati river diversion project.

Addressing media persons at Hotel Woodlands, he termed the project as controversial, unilateral, and unscientific. The forum has been constituted to stage intensive protests against the plan until it is cancelled. ‘People are already experiencing an acute scarcity of water in the district, immediately after the monsoon season. The river diversion might worsen the situation. Development programmes should not impinge on the people’, he opined.

One of the objectives of the forum is to present before the people, a study of the problems of agriculture, drinking water, and development programmes. The complete executive committee will be set up later, he added.

Members of the organizing committee Sudesha Rai Bambrana, Pradip Rai Ikala Bava, Aboobacker Natekal, and John S Noronha, were present on the occasion.