The coalition of farmers, environmentalists, religious leaders and advocates on Wednesday organized a protest meeting in Khanapore against the proposed acquisition of the state government for the Banduri irrigation system in the ecologically sensitive pelvis of Mahadayi.
Save Mahadayi, Savet Malaprabha Selnion, also witnessed the participation of some religious leaders, female groups and activists.
Source persons and activists have presented passionate speeches that condemn the project as a threat to water, forests and livelihoods in the region.
Demonstrators holding banners read by our Mahadayi, Our Water, Our Bhimgad, accused the state government of reviving the deferred plan under the blade of Kalasa-Banduri Nala. They provided the Memorandum Tahsildar.
Social activist Dilip Kamat warned that the diversion of Mahadayi waters to Malaprraby will lead to desertification in the northern carnation and immerses forests and villages in western Ghats.
“If you trim the forests around the hills, there will be no rain or water in Malaprabha or Mahaday or the streams around them. While we are trying to turn away one river water to another, we will end by drying the whole region,” he said.
He said it was wrong to mark environmentalists as anti-roske lobbyists. “There are supporters of sustainable life that provides the future for our children,” he said.
“We should understand that they want to rip our water, soil, forests and mountains. After drowning our country, they want to grow sugar cane, water, non -native crop. We can’t let anyone do it by stealing our water,” Kamat said.
“It is our responsibility to protect the rivers and mountains. We have to realize that if Malaprabha is our mother, Sahydri is our father. We will not allow this ecological betrayal,” he said.
“We have to tell our elected representatives to express our concerns, not their high commands,” Kamat said.
He said that the protests of Mahadaya Basin are older than three decades. “But then the current protest is different because local farmers are now involved,” he said.
Mr. Kamat remembered the last victory, the abolition of the industrial acquisition of Kadoli (2,000 acres), Narasimhpur’s Zuari Agro Chemicals Project (1,190 acres) and the Birla project in Harihr, all of whom were excluded.
“If people come together, even the biggest plans can be stopped,” he said.
Kallappa Ghadi, a farmer from the village of Karambol, who received a notification of land acquisition, said that several grams of panchayat, including the carambola, decided to adopt a resolution against land acquisition.
He urged all potential families who would lose land to address their elected representatives and asked them to increase the voice against the project.
Lawyer Sonappa Nandrankar emphasized the procedural violation of the land acquisition process and stressed that officials issued a notice of 25 February in the first week of April.
“It was supposed to be unpleasant farmers who want to file objections within 60 days of the announcement. However, farmers can always apply for a notice that will deliver the official to change the date to the reception date and not by the date of issue,” said the lawyer who practices in Mumbai (Bombai) of the High Court.
He complained that the announcement was undisturbed because the state government did not carry out public consultations and social assessments under section 4 of the Land of Land. “We must say that the notification is not valid because no assessment of impact on social impact has been made or gram Panchayats has not been consulted,” he said.
The Captain for Protection of the Environment Dhond criticized the planned diversion of water from east to west as unscientific. He quoted a study by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research and IISC and Ashoka Trust for research in ecology and environment to show that North Karnataka is slowly becoming deforestation and other measures.
Using data from these studies, he stated that the Mahadaya Basin project assumes the construction of three dams on various streams emptying into Mahadayi.
“Such dams on Mahaday will reverse his flow, devastating Bhimgad and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuaries in Karnataka and Goa and Western Ghats Evergreen Forests,” he said.
Pasin Mahadayi in Khanapore is classified as the most sensitive ecological zone in Madhav Gadgil and Kasturirangan. “Experts warned us against irreversible damage to the region. It’s not just Khanapor we are fighting for. The future of North Karnataka depends on the survival of the fragile ecosystem in Khanapore,” Mr. Dhond said.
Some speakers accused the government of deceiving the public by designating the project as the initiative of drinking water.
Former Minister Shashikant Naik said that the state government has constantly lied to courts and courts that it is a drinking water project, while the final goal is to provide water by industry.
He also raised an objection to the state government, which began to obtain land before obtaining the appropriate permission from the center.
The mulgund, which in the past turned to the courts for the protection of ecological areas, spoke against the project. “We will fight legally, socially and politically, if necessary. Our determination is not clear. No land acquisition. No dams. No surrender,” he said.
“This project is designed for industrial and sugar factory, not for thirsty households. The government takes water from the poor countryside to supply the city rich,” said higher defending champion Sirdesai.
“Why destroy Khanapur’s evergreen forests, a rope in the region to feed unsustainable agriculture elsewhere?” he asked.
Sustainable agriculture defending champion Sharado Gopal questioned state elevation of water -intensive crops. “We reject nature and ignore the collection of rainwater and traditional wisdom,” she said.
She also asked the state government and other agencies why they did not support rainwater harvesting and other sustainable practices and local solutions for lack of water in northern carnation rather than pitching for large tickets.
Religious leaders, including ISKCON’S NAGENDRA PAVHU, framed the struggle as a moral duty. “If we do not protect nature, we will perish,” he said.
Sri Baba Bhayankar Nath of Dongargaon Nath Panthi Math said, “We must protect nature with our lives and fight the environment.”
Winner Award Dedraj Urs Shivaji Dada Kaganikar, Balasaheb Desai activist, Vinaak Mutagekar and others we introduce.
Published – April 9, 2025 20:03
