Mangaluru : The Dakshina Kannada unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) begins padayatra against the Yettinahole Water Diversion Project under the leadership of DK Lok Sabha member Nalin Kumar Kateel on Saturday, October 10.

District BJP president Pratapsimha Nayak flagged off the rally by handing over party flag to Mr. Nalin in the presence of hundreds of party workers and those opposing the project at the Brahma Baidarkala Garodi Temple here.

Mr. Nalin told reporters that the padayatra would cover about 30 km a day. On day one, the entourage would halt at B.C. Road and on Monday it would stop at Uppinangady, the confluence of Netravathi and Kumaradhara. On the third day, the Paadayatra would halt at Gundya where the party has organised a public meeting, expected to be attended by about 3,000 people, he said.

The padayatra would reach the project site on Tuesday during which time party workers would lay siege to the site, Mr. Nalin said. The Lok Sabha member said the party intended to be the padayatra a small one so as not to create traffic hurdles on the busy Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway.

Mr. Nalin said he would like people from Kolar-Chikkaballapur region to visit the project site to ascertain the actual availability of water. At the same time, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Chief Ministers M. Veerappa Moily and D.V. Sadananda Gowda, too should visit the project site to get first-hand information, he said.

Sri Gurudevananda Swamiji of Odiyoor Mutt, Sri Mohanadas Swamiji of Manila Mutt, Sri Rajashekharananda Swamiji of Gurupura Vajradehi Mutt, Sri Isha Vittaladasa Swamiji of Kemar Mutt, green activists Dinesh Holla and M.G. Hegde, MLC Ganesh Karnik, Sullia MLA S. Angara, and zilla panchayat president Asha Thimmappa Gowda were present.