Black flag protest against Gowda, Moily planned

Mangaluru, June 8: The joint council for Nethravati river protection here has said it would hold a black flag demonstration against Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and former Chief Minister Veerappa Moily, during their scheduled visit here on June 11.

The council president Vijay Kumar Shetty in a release here said both the former Chief Ministers were responsible for initiating the Yettinahole river diversion project meant to divert water from the tributaries of river Nethravati.

The two leaders were still openly supporting the project, he claimed. Jyotilingam, the new environment expert assigned by the Green Tribunal to consider the case, had asked for a rehearing, he said, adding that if his plea was accepted, the hearing would take another two years.

The council has challenged both Gowda and Moily to contest from Dakshina Kannada to see the people's response, which would determine their fate.

PTI