Western Ghats Rivers Under Threat: Conservationists Demand Action

Environmentalists, scientists, and local communities recently convened at a biodiversity conservation conference on the banks of the Kumaradhara River. This gathering celebrated the withdrawal of proposed private hydropower projects on the river after more than 14 years of opposition. The conference also voiced solidarity with conservation efforts in other river basins, urging the abandonment of related projects.

Strong opposition was expressed towards the construction of dams on the Gundya and Addahole streams, intended for the Yettinahole project. Participants warned that these actions would jeopardize the livelihoods of numerous individuals reliant on the Gundya, Kumaradhara, and Nethravati river systems. Elected representatives were called upon to firmly oppose further river diversion initiatives.

The conference highlighted the Yettinahole river diversion scheme as a failed project and demanded an independent scientific study. It also pressed for the implementation of biodiversity protection measures at Urumbi, a site designated as a Biodiversity Heritage Site in 2021. Additionally, concerns regarding sustainable fish habitat management and a call for strict action against illegal sand mining were raised.

Resolutions were passed to bolster grassroots conservation through annual river pujas and plantation drives. The state government was urged to conduct a comprehensive study on the ecological carrying capacity of Western Ghats river basins and to convene a high-level meeting to discuss river conservation. Prominent figures, including scientists and environmental officials, participated in the event.