Locals implore Goa govt to obtain stay against fabrication work at Nersa to lay a pipeline
A pipe lies at the fabrication site near Nersa village.
Photo Credits: The Goan
BELAGAVI
Activists, farmers and environmentalists in the region have planned to intensify their agitation against plans by Karnataka to begin acquiring land for an underground pipeline to divert water from Bhandura and Singerhol nullahs into River Malaprabha for the Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion project.
Locals have also appealed to the Goa government to take note of the development and if needed, obtain a stay in the matter. A meeting in this regard has been planned tentatively on April 9 to decide the stand regarding the notices issued to farmers of Karambal, Rumewadi, Manturga, Asoga, and Nersa for the land acquisition.
Amid opposition, authorities have continued piling up material at a site near Nersa village to manufacture the pipes that will be used to pump the water from Bhandura and Shingeri nullah into a dam to be erected in this region and later to be carried towards Naveelteerth dam through an underground pipeline. Workers near the site at Nersa did not allow photography of the manufacturing unit and the piled-up materials.
Meanwhile, environmentalists have expressed deep concern over the recent development, stating that this is going to have a severely adverse impact turning the entire green and ecologically rich belt into a barren zone.
Due to this, there has been unrest among farmers who have expressed strong resentment.
“To oppose this project, we have decided to set aside politics, language and other barriers and come together and fight for conserving the farmlands and ecology in Khanapur region,” a former member of Nersa panchayat told The Goan. “The Goa government needs to take note of this development and if required obtain a stay against the same.”
“A fabrication unit that has been set up near Nersa village, where tonnes of iron sheets to be used for manufacturing pipes have been piled up and ready to manufacture the pipes. About 500 tonnes of iron sheets have been piled up,” a former panch informed.
Noted environmentalist Capt. Nitin Dhond, who is passionately involved in creating awareness regarding the Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion project, feared that Karnataka’s push to implement this project would adversely affect about 500 sq km of forests, which form part of the ecologically rich and equally sensitive Bhimgad and Mhadei Sanctuaries.
“While implementing this project the perennial water sources in this forest will vanish permanently. North Karnataka depends on the Khanapur region for water and if there is a big impact on the rains, the entire North Karnataka region is likely to turn into a desert,” said Capt. Dhond.
“The very existence of North Karnataka will be in danger. Hence, it is high time that an organised effort is initiated to strongly oppose and stall the very implementation of this controversial project.”
As Karnataka pushes ahead in implementing the water diversion project and is all set to lay an underground pipeline at the Bhandura site, activists, farmers and environmentalists in the region are equally determined to oppose the project.
