Mangaluru: The All College Students Association (ACSA) staged a protest against the state government for carrying out the Yettinahole river diversion project, in front of the Government College here, on September 4.
Students blocked the road for 15 minutes. Addressing the protesters, the advisor of ACSA Dinker Shetty said that students have taken to the streets to fight against the project. Even a horse jatha was undertaken by an activist from Sakleshpur. The former chief minister who is hailing from DK is a proponent of the Yettinahole river diversion project. He further said that when a girl is abused, it is even highlighted in Pakistan. “There are a number of buildings, more than 35,000 flats and they all need water. When a pipe supplying water to the city was damaged, there was no water for 5 days. The owners of apartments paid upto Rs 20,000 for water from tankers. Eight political leaders from our district should join hands to fight against the project from continuing.”
“We went to Besant College to invite the students to take part in the protest but the college principal said, “We have well in our compounds, so no need of protesting against the Yettinahole project”. When the lecturers get less pay, they come out to protest but for a good cause, the college principals do not allow students to take part.” He also said that people fight in the name of religion and other issues but they are not bothered to fight to save the Netravati river from being diverted. He warned the government that if the Yettinahole project will not be dropped, in the coming days colleges in the entire district will be shut down and students will intensify their protest. “Yes, when we block the road for 15 minutes, people will get disturbed. We have left Ambulances to move freely because we have humanity.”
The President of ACSA, Rohini said that all the people’s representatives are aware that DK is facing water crisis, but to please the people of their own constituencies, they put the people of DK in trouble. “The former CMs who are born and brought up in this district are trying to snatch our river, we are demanding the government to drop the project and give us our river back. If the ministers, MLAs and MP cannot stop the project, let them resign from their post so that we can manage the situation. If the project will not be dropped, in the coming days students will get on to the streets and protest against the government,” she warned.