Mangaluru : Netravathi Rakshana Samyukta Samiti members will hold a fast unto death protest in front of the DC’s office from February 10 seeking the withdrawal of Yettinahole project.

Addressing mediapersons here on Monday, Karavali Education Trust chairman Ganesh Rao said the fast will be started after garlanding the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at 9.45 am.

Later, the protesters and the leaders of various religions, seers of various mutts, actors and others will move towards the DC’s office. A protest meet will be held at 11.30 am, he added.

He said MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Satyajit Surathkal, Harish Poonja, M G Hegde, Shashiraj Shetty Kolambe, Dinaker Shetty, Narayana Bangera, Siraj Adkare, Hanif Khan, Raghuvir Sooterpet, Kiran Rai Bajal, Dr Bharat Shetty, Pushparaj Shetty, Harikrishna Bantwal, Kemar mutt seer Ishavittala Dasa Swamiji and Monappa Bhandary will observe the fast unto death.

The MLAs and MLCs have been urged to raise the question on Yettinahole project and demand scrapping the project. The session ends on February 10. If the government takes a decision and passes the resolution to withdraw Yettinahole project, the fast may be withdrawn, he said and requested the people from all walks of life to support the protest.

Rao said the government should take up other alternative projects for Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts, such as lake rejuvenation programme for drinking water. The protests are not against the people of Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts. The fact finding committee of Kolar is aware of the truth that no water will be available from Yettinahole, he added.

Committee Member M G Hegde warned that if the protesters are arrested, the committee will give a call for Mangaluru bandh. The government and the district in-charge minister will only be responsible for the consequences taking place thereafter. Many taluks of Dakshina Kannada are among the drought-hit areas, which means that the district itself is in sheer need of water. In this situation, how water can be given to other districts, he wanted to know.

Hegde said the state government should call off the work on Yettinahole project, hold talks with the experts of Samiti and also with the activists from both the districts.

Convener Dinaker Shetty, Shashiraj Shetty Kolambe, Satyajit Suratkal and others were present in the press meet.