Sirsi: Science Writer Nagesh Hegde stated that before the western models would destruct the Western Ghats in the name of conservation of ghats in the global arena, there is a need to strengthen Biological Diversity Committee in the gram panchayat level. Awareness should be created among the youths regarding the laws and rights related to environmental conservation, he added.

He noted this while speaking on the topic ‘River diversion schemes; Disadvantages and future struggle’, during the Save Western Ghats Convention organised in the town on Thursday.

It has become inevitable to protect the Western Ghats from the hold of politicians, planning officers and engineers, he said and added that it was shameful from the side of State government, which had opposed the move of declaring the Western Ghats as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Speaking on the occasion, Kumta CEM Scientist Dr Prakash Mesta said, with the river diversion project, the sea water will enter the coastal region and the agriculture land will suffer salinity. It is a common fact that cultivating crops in saline water is difficult. Apart from this, the sand mafia will exceed its limit, he added.

Environmentalist Shivanand Kalave said that it is a matter of concern that today, the rivers have not remained as part of biological diversity. Instead, they have been only measured in tmc, due to lack of decentralized irrigation system.

Rather than diverting rivers, diversion of minds is the need of the hour. tanks should be developed. Rainwater should be stored and used for future agriculture purposes, he added.

Oceanographer Akhilesh Sagar said, nearly 16,000 trees were cut off during Netravatho river diversion project and 24,000 trees were cut down during the Tunga Lift Irrigation Project. Vrakshalaksha Andolan’s Ananth Ashisar, wildlife expert Balachandra Saimane and others were present on the occasion.