Good response to bandh call to save Western Ghats

By Our Staff Correspondent

SHIMOGA, JULY 23. The call for a bandh on Tuesday in the villages located on the banks of the Tunga and the Bhadra in nine districts demanding a ban on mining in the Western-Ghats appears to have evoked an encouraging response if the overwhelming voluntary support being expressed to it by various organisations and institutions is an indication.

As the final phase of the support-garning exercise, a padayatra was taken out under the leadership of the Kannada writer and Jnanapith awardee, Dr.U.R.Ananthamurthy, in various parts here on Monday. The campaign received fresh momentum after Dr.Ananthamurthy joined the agitation.

The padayatra commenced from the Gopi Circle and culminated at the Ramanna Shreshti Park after passing through the Nehru Road, Ameer Ahmed Circle, B.H.Road and the Gandhi Bazar. Later, at a meeting there, Dr.Ananthamurthy appealed to the people to express their support to the bandh, and prevent the rivers from being destroyed by the mining activities of Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd, (KIOCL).

Others who joined the padayatra included the convenor of the district unit of the Tunga-Bhadra Moola Ulisi Horata Samithi (which had given the call for the bandh), Mr.S.Sundara, the Shimoga District President of the Janata Dal (U), Mr.V.Raju,the General Secretary of the District Janata Dal (S), Mr.S.P.Seshadri, the poet, Mr.Satyanarayan Anathi, Mr.Sirsi Krishnamurthy, Mr.Diwakar Hegde and Prof.Rajendra Chenni, Head of the Postgraduate Department of English, Kuvempu University.

The organisations, which expressed their support to the bandh included the Shimoga District Auto Drivers' Association, the District Lorry Owners' Association, the Indian Medical Association, the Bar Association,the District Working Journalist's Association, the Sahyadri Sneha Sangh and the Kote Yuvak Sangh.

Addressing doctors at a meeting arranged by the local branch of the Indian Medical Association here on Sunday, Dr.Ananthamurthy said that a cure of the "disease" caused to cultural life by mega projects was possible only by preventing such destructive activities.

Referring to his efforts in the anti-mining campaign, he said the Chief Minister, Mr.S.M.Krishna, was convinced of the seriousness of the arguments putforth by environmentalists about the evil effects of mining. He hoped that the peaceful protest would further strengthen Mr.Krishna's will in putting an end to mining in Western Ghats.

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