RIVERS IN INDIA UNDER DISTRESS;

Madikeri, October 21, 2005

Rivers in India are exploited and polluted for the material benefits. There is an urgent need to protect rivers and mountains for the safety of human beings, called Sundarlal Bahuguna, the environmentalist.

Addressing a gathering here today he regretted that the nature which was once worshipped by Indians is in distress due to selfishness. Stating that the green rich Kodagu, covered by western ghat should be protected, he opined that the fight to save rivers and mountains all over India will begin from here, the land of Cauvery. He explained that if rivers are like a mother to a nation, mountains are like mother to rivers.

The doyen of Chipko and Appiko movements regretted that faith in a common person has vanished after father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. He called upon the people to rejuvenate the strength of common people. Nobody can spoil the nature if wave of common people gathers momentum, he predicted. Future of the nation lies in saving the nature and Western Ghats, he narrated.

He called upon the people to form a strategy to save nature that is being butchered. We have gone far away from her, and there is an urgent need to bridge the gap, he said. He told the audience that the strategy should include austerity, alternate solution. He also called upon the people to plant trees bearing nuts and fruits in vacant lands and detest from planting monoculture trees damaging soil and environment.

Sundarlal Bahuguna was invited to kodagu by the Barapole hydel project opposing committee and Cauvery sene activists. The organizations are fighting against about eleven hydel projects being proposed by the government in Kodagu.

Bahuguna has arrived with his wife, environmentalist Panduranga Hegde and Shankar sharma. They were taken in a procession from General Thimmaiah circle to the meeting venue at lower Kodava Samaj.

MLC Arun machaiah spoke on the occasion and said that he will not let any hydel projects to come up in Kodagu till his last breath. Panduranga Hegde dealt in detail the pros and cons of the environmental disorders. Ballyamiderira Subramani explained the projects proposed in the district.

PIC : Sundarlal bahuguna with MLC Arun Machaiah during the procession