Mangalore: Former Suratkal MLA and the President of Karavali Jeevanadi Netravathi Rakshana Samithi Vijaykumar Shetty has strongly condemned the government moves to go in for Yettinahole water diversion project.

Speaking to reporters, he said the project without a proper  plan would result in a waste of  Rs 8600 crores. He said information gathered regarding the project through an RTI application has revealed that there has been no study of economic feasibility and  environmental impact on Western Ghats and such  other things.

He said that the proposal which originally was said to divert peak flow water from Yettinahole, a tributary of Netravathi, was currently mentioned as a ‘Scheme for diversion of flood water from Sakleshpur (West) to Kolar/Chikkaballapur districts (East)’.

Describing this a ‘traitor project’, he questioned why such projects which would have drastic environmental consequences be implemented.

SG Mayya of Department of Applied Mechanics and Hydraulics said the   feasibility report was misleading and infeasible. The report has also exaggerated the amount of water available at tapping points, he added.

M G Hegde, Janata Dal (Secular), P V Mohan, Congress leader, Vasudeva Boloor, and Hussain Katipalla, were present at the press meet.