Protesters oppose Sharavathi river projects in Shivamogga

Protesters gathered in Shivamogga on Wednesday to oppose state government projects related to the Sharavathi river. The demonstration was organized by the Sharavathi Kanive Ulisi Horata Okkuta group. They marched from Seenappa Shetty Circle to the deputy commissioner's office. Many participants included local religious leaders, activists, and students. They wanted to speak with deputy commissioner Gurudatt Hegde about their concerns. However, he was not present at his office. The group tried to reach him at the nearby Kuvempu Rangamandira, but police stopped them. Environmentalist Akhilesh Chipli criticized the government's approach. He urged the government to listen to its citizens and not act with arrogance. Chipli claimed the government failed to provide proper applications for the new pumped storage facility in the Sharavathi valley. He also raised concerns about the impact of projects in the environmentally sensitive Western Ghats region.