Shivamogga: A day-and-night sit-in protest was launched in Shivamogga against the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project on Tuesday. Led by former deputy chief minister KS Eshwarappa and organised by ‘Rashtrabhaktara Balaga’ alongside various environmental groups, the protest saw a mobilisation of religious leaders and local activists.Inaugurating the protest, Maruti Guruji of Bangarumakki Mutt in Gerusoppa criticised the political establishment. He slammed the project as ‘anti-nature’, pointing out the irony of a govt that restricts Deepavali crackers for environmental reasons while allowing 18,000 metric tonnes of explosives to be used for this project. He highlighted that the project, costing over Rs 10,450 crore, threatens to destroy between 16,000 and 50,000 trees while reversing the natural flow of the river.Meanwhile, other leaders at the protest cited reports indicating a 60% risk of landslides, warning axing of nearly 64,000 trees would permanently destroy the livelihoods of people living in the Western Ghats.Responding to the mounting pressure, Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra clarified the Union govt’s position, and noted that while the state govt submitted a 60:40 funding proposal, the Centre has not yet granted official approval. “For the time being, work has been halted from an environmental perspective,” the MP stated, adding that discussions regarding the public’s concerns are ongoing.
