Protesters against Yettinahole project block NH-75 for five hours

UPPINANGADY, DK district: Despite heavy rain, more than 10,000 people blocked the Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway (NH-75), some 60 km from Mangaluru, for more than five hours on Tuesday. The protesters, including students and senior citizens from Dakshina Kannada district, were objecting to the Yettinahole project, or Nethravati river diversion project, but were later detained by police. Traffic on NH-75 that connects the port city with Bengaluru was totally paralysed as protesters began the 'rasta rokho, jail bharo' rally near Uppinangady Government PU College. However, the rally was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported. All vehicles were diverted via Mani, Sampaje, Charmadi and other routes to avoid trouble. By 3pm the road was open for vehicles. In the morning, students, women and members of various organisations sat on a 1km-stretch of the highway shouting slogans like 'Protect Nethravati' and 'Stop Yettinahole'. Dr Niranjan Rai, convenor of Nethravati Nadi Thiruvu Virodhi Horata Samiti (Committee against Nethravati river diversion project), handed over the protest flag to Muslim religious leader Mohammed Darimi to mark the beginning of the protest. Protesters took part in the agitation peacefully shouting slogans against the government and political leaders. The stir continued even as it rained heavily in the afternoon. Later, police detained Rai and other leaders. Though the arrests created unrest among agitators, the police team led by Dakshina Kannada superintendent of police S D Sharanappa pacified them. KSRTC buses and police vans were brought to clear protesters from the spot. SP Sharanappa told TOI that protestors and leaders were taken into preventive custody. "We have taken the protestors into preventive custody. No cases have been registered against them. Overall the protest was peaceful and no untoward incident happened," Sharanappa said. Odiyoor Shree Gurudevadatta Samsthanam pontiff Sri Gurudevanand Swami, Samsthanam Sadhvi Matanandamayi, Sri Kshetra Manila Dhama seer Sri Mohandasa Swami, Sri Vajradehi Mutt seer Sri Rajashekarananda Swami and members of various organisations took part in the protest. What is Yettinahole Project: The Yettinahole project envisages diverting Netravathi river, lifeline of Dakshina Kannada district, to parched Tumakuru, Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts. It has stirred a hornet's nest, with naysayers calling it an ecological disaster and proponents dismissing the fears. Project details: 24.01 tmc ft of water was to be drawn from Netravathi in prelim report 22 tmc ft is the reduced quantum proposed by detailed project report 2,000 tmc ft water flows into the sea annually from Netravathi Rs 12,900cr is estimated cost Phase 1 oversees diversion of flood water from Sakleshpur (west) in Hassan to Kolar, Chikkaballapur (East) 13.92 hectares of forest land in Sakleshpur taluk will be lost to the project

-TOI