Mangaluru : District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai has refused to take responsibility if River Nethravathi goes dry because of the Yettinahole project.

“I am just committed to the decision of the State government. The whole Assembly – which passed the Bill – would be responsible for it,” he insisted.

Addressing mediapersons on Monday, the minister said that as a Cabinet minister, he could not speak against the government. “The proposal was passed in the Assembly unanimously. I could not oppose as nobody raised the issue. Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader and I spoke about the issue during the Cabinet meeting, but agreed with the decision of the government. I am with the decision,” he added, but refused to reply to any questions related to public interest.

Ramanath Rai said that he was not the only person responsible for the implementation of the project. “Former Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda made the proposal, but none of the BJP leaders refers to the point. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel’s participation in the Uppinangady protest is nothing but a façade,” he said.

When asked about the statements of local legislator and Kolar District In-charge Minister U T Khader and former Union minister B Janardhan Poojary, the minister said that both of them had expressed their personal opinions, but he would not do so.

Also, when asked if had read the report of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Rai refused to reply. He also refused to comment on the protest that would be undertaken at Uppinangady on Tuesday against the project.

The minister – who is also in charge of forest, environment and ecology – said earlier that the Yettinahole project required, at present, clearance of merely 13.92 hectares of forest land at Sakleshpur, and not in Dakshina Kannada.

“A study will be conducted on the effects of the project on the ecology of the Western Ghats. Many development works have been carried out in the region. Now, a turned project will be carried out. In necessary, a meeting will be convened,” he assured.

Rai said that Karnataka and Kerala were the only two states that had submitted additional information sought by the Central government on a state’s response on the Kasturirangan Report.

“The Additional Chief Secretary (Forest, Environment and Ecology) M Madan Gopal has submitted the clarifications on September 1, for the response submitted on April 24,” said the minister.

The areas that come within the purview of the reserved forests, protected forests, protected areas (wild life sanctuaries and national parks) and the proposed eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) in the case of protected areas in the 40 taluks of the Western Ghat region have been marked as eco-sensitive areas. The government has agreed to ban quarrying and mining in such ESZs, he explained.

“The BJP leaders – including MP Nalin Kumar Kateel – are trying to spread rumours that the State government is yet to submit its report to the Central government. They have also said that Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan governments have already submitted their reports.

As per my knowledge, however, only Karnataka and Kerala have submitted the reports. If MP Kateel has any evidence regarding the submission of the report by the Maharashtra and Gujarat governments, he can prove it. Rajasthan doesn’t come within the purview of the Western Ghats at all,” he reminded.

MLC Ivan D’Souza and others were present at the press meet.