NOTA campaign in K'taka to save river receives good response, indicates mood

Mangaluru, Feb 24: Post NOTA (None of the Above) campaign at Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka, there is something to cheer for the activists of Sahyadri Sanchaya. The Zilla Panchayat (ZP) and Taluk Panchayat (TP) polls in total saw 28,891 NOTA being exercised by the voters.

Prior to ZP and TP polls an organisation Sahyadri Sanchaya (SS) took out a NOTA campaign across the district urging the people to cast NOTA as mark of protest against a populist river diversion project, Yettinahole. A member of the SS previously informed that they were expecting, 30,000-40,000 NOTA button would be pressed during the elections.

With election results being out now, the numbers of NOTA too emerged. The people of Dakshina Kannada appeared to have little heeded to the requests of the organisers. The count of NOTA votes, though not reached the expected tune, has came up to 28, 891.

The fresh trend indicate that the some chunk of the Dakshina Kannada has expressed discontent over state government's controversial project, Yettinahole that seeks to draw water from key streams and divert it to parched districts mainly- Kolar, Tumkur, Chikballapur.

Yettinahole and other streams from where the water is proposed to be diverted is a main source of water for Netravati river, life line of the Dakshina Kannada. It could be recalled that there has been frequent strikes in the district against the implantation of the project. The locals are of the view that diversion of water leave Dakshina Kannada with acute shortage of water supply.

A member of Sahyadri Sanchaya, Shashidhar Shetty speaking to OneIndia with only a day's campaign people have pressed NOTA in good numbers exhibiting solidarity with the protests against the project. "Many people who cannot take part in the street protests marked their dissent with the state's decision through electoral process," he observed.

This is a warning for all the political parties. The political leaders from the district has to resign from the post demanding scrapping of the project. The NOTA has shown the mood of the people. If the leaders ignore this trend, in the upcoming assembly election the Sahyadri Sanchaya would field Netravati candidate in each assembly constituencies of the district, Shetty informed.

Places Zilla Panchayat Taluk Panchayat

Mangaluru 3299 3084

Belthangady 3328 2950

Puttur 3076 2772

Sullia 1741 1682

Total 14,675 14, 216 = 28,891

OneIndia News