BANGALORE, DHNS: The wisdom of the project to link major rivers across the country was questioned by voluntary organisations and experts at a seminar on "Inter-linking of rivers : Opportunities and Challenges" on Sunday.
Majority of the participants resolved to demand the Government to withdraw the project. Taking part in the seminar, organised by the Samagra Vikas voluntary organisation in Bangalore on Sunday, Prof Raju K V said, that, according to the G S Paramashivaiah report, which has been accepted by the Government, diverting the course of the Netravati eastwards (against its natural flow towards the west), will also improve the ground-water table.
"The report states that diverting the river's course will not harm the environment or forests in any way. Besides, this is one river not brought into any inter-State water disputes," Prof Raju quoted the report as stating. Economist B M Kumaraswamy wondered how the project could be accepted by the Government, when it meant that a canal should be built at 980 feet above sea-level to change the course of the river. "How could it not harm the forests, at that height. Besides, no project of the Government has been completed within the set time-frame or estimated expenses. This Rs 1,200 crore project will eat into a lot more resources and will not yield the returns expected of it," Prof Kumaraswamy said. Geologist Dr H N Udayashankar expressed doubts whether the report giving a green-signal to inter-linking of rivers was prepared after a site-visit or only after taking in superficial details. "The water level in the river during summer has been grossly over-estimated," Dr Udayashankar said.
Bangalore University Water Resources wing's Prof Ravikumar gave details about the Netravati River project, even as participants at the seminar felt that the project was given a go-ahead based on highly biased reports.
Speaking on the occasion, Gangadharendra Saraswati Swamiji of Swarnavalli Math warned that the Centre have to face stiff resistance if it does not drop it's project and design alternative plans.
Social Activist K N Govindacharya termed the decision to inter-link rivers as "anti-democratic".