By P.T. Bopanna
The immediate threat to Kodagu is from the ‘Daty Express’ between Mysuru and Madikeri which is being pursued by Kodagu-Mysuru MP Pratap Simha.
This became evident after industries minister R.V. Deshpande declared in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that Karnataka was not in favour of the Mysuru-Thalasherry railway line that passes through Kodagu.
However, the minister said the Railways had cleared the 110-km Mysuru-Kushalnagar-Madikeri project. Survey work with respect to the Mysuru-Kushalnagar stretch had been completed and the survey report too had been finalized.
It may be recalled that Mysuru-Kushalanagar-Madikeri railway line which was shelved earlier for being economically unviable, was revived by Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda while he was heading the railway ministry in 2014. He wanted to bring the railway network to Kushalanagar, his wife Daty’s hometown.
Subsequently, the project was pursued by Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha, who sensed a political opportunity to woo the vote banks in the Hunsur-Periyapatna belt.
He has been apparently misleading the people that the railway line would end at Kushalanagar and would not be extended to Madikeri, even though the railway ministry had cleared the project up to Madikeri.
Simha who is aware of the serious environment damage from the Mysuru-Kushalanagar-Madikeri railway line, is seriously pursuing the project with the railway ministry in Delhi which is controlled by the BJP government.
The people of Kodagu need an assurance from Simha that he will not support the extension of railways to Kodagu.
The proposed ‘Save Kodagu’ meeting planned on February 18 at Mysuru, should bring pressure on Simha against bringing railway connectivity to Kodagu.
FROM A FACEBOOK POST OF DEVIKA DEVAIAH
Did you know: The river Cauvery is flowing at 40% less capacity that 50 years ago?
Bangalore is even more dependent on Cauvery water now, with lakes dwindling from 262 in the 1960’s to 81. Out of these, only 34 are considered live lakes! Yet, Bangalore’s population has swollen from 16 lakhs to 1 crore and is rapidly growing?
Did you know 54,000 trees were cut 3 years ago in her birth place, Kodagu for a power line a few years ago? And more such projects are planned?
Trees feed and sustain the river’s water and flow, so if they go, the river will die a slow death. Did you know that a river requires 33% forest cover to rejuvenate, but so far she only has 15% of forest cover?
Did you know, that the Cauvery is no more a perennial river, that she doesn’t reach the sea for most of the year? That she dries up 20 km from the sea and the salt water flows back into land?
So the Cauvery needs protection and her children to rise up for her. Otherwise, Bangalore’s global story will cease to be its success but will be of Bangalore’s Day Zero. That’s the day day we run out of water. And did you know that the river will not seek our permission before she dies, she won’t care for our valid excuses of ‘I didn’t know’ or ‘I was busy with life as usual’?
If we don’t make time to Save River Cauvery why should she make time for us? So rise up, stand up and speak up! Join us on Sunday 18th February, at 10.00 am at JK Grounds, Irwin Road, Mysuru. Opposite Mysuru City Railway Station.