Mangaluru: The environmentalists of the Dakshin Kannada district invited Khader and the officials of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd (KNNL) for an open debate on the Yettinahole project.

The invitation for a debate from the environmentalists comes a day after Kannada District In-charge Minister U T Khader justified Yettinahole Project.

Speaking on the issue Environmentalist and convener of Sahyadri Sanchaya, Dinesh Holla said that Yettinahole Project is the root cause for the existing drought-like situation in the district because housands of trees were cut down to execute the project.

“Politicians are favouring Yettinahole Project only to receive commission and that it would not fetch drinking water to the parched areas,” he alleged.

On Sunday, May 19 Khader said that shortage of pre-monsoon rain in summer was the root cause for the acute shortage of drinking water in district denying Yettinahole Project’s role in. He justifying the Yettinahole project said that the opinions of experts were collected before undertaking this project.

When presspersons questioned, what was the necessity to undertake the Yettinahole project, the Dakshina Kannada district has been declared the drought-hit district refused to answer.