Dakshina Kannada observes bandh against Yettinahole project for the second time

Public transport off the road, business establishments closed

An empty State Bank area of Mangaluru on Thursday during the Dakshina Kannada bandh in protest against the Yettinahole water diversion project. Photo: H.S. Manjunath

Dakshina Kannada observed bandh today (Thursday, May 19) urging the State government to drop the Yettinahole or Netravathi diversion project.

The entire district shut down opposing the project for the second time in about two years. Earlier, the district observed bandh when the foundation stone for the project was laid in Chickaballapur on March 3, 2014.

The call by Netravathi Rakshana Samyutka Samithi, an action committee to save the Netravathi, to observe “voluntary bandh” received good response with public transport remaining off the road. Only some private cars and two-wheelers were found plying in the city and in other towns in the district. Business establishments in the district remained closed.

The bandh evoked good response in Bantwal, Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady, Moodbidri, Kukke Subrahmanya and Dharmasthala.

According to the samithi the project involving constructing eight barrages to the tributaries of the Netravathi in Sakleshpur taluk, Hassan district, would dry up the Netravathi, the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada. People and industries in Mangaluru city are entirely depending on the river for water.