March for clean Tungabhadra to start on November 6

The dam on the Tungabhadra river near Hospete in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Environmentalists of Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts in Karnataka are taking out a 10-day march from Sringeri in Chikkamagaluru district to Harihar in Davanagere district to stress the need for maintaining the river unpolluted.

Around 60 people, representing Paryavaran Trust, which is organizing the event — Nirmala Tungabhadra Abhiyana, students, farmers, elected representatives, and seers, will take part in the march that begins at Sringeri on November 6. The first phase of the march will conclude in Harihar on November 15. The second phase of the march from Harihar to Kishkinda in Gangavathi taluk of Koppal district will be taken up later.

Prof. B.M. Kumaraswamy, president of Paryavaran Trust, in a press conference in Shivamogga on November 4, said that preparations for the march, with the involvement of elected representatives, religious institutions, and government officials, were over. The main objective of the march is spreading awareness about the need to keep the water bodies free from pollution.

“The Tunga Abhiyana taken out in 2023 resulted in putting pressure on the government of Karnataka to implement some measures towards keeping the river clean. Now, we are taking out the Clean Tungabhadra campaign. Soon after the march, we will submit a report to the government of Karnataka and also release the same to the public,” he said.

Along the route, the participants would highlight the need for sewage treatment plants (STPs) in urban localities and mini-STPs in gram panchayats.

“Tungabhadra is a major source of water for thousands of people and farmers in Karnataka. We need to focus on maintaining its cleanliness. People from different fields, irrespective of their political party affiliation, have extended support to the march,” he told the media.

Sringeri seer Bharathi Tirtha Swamy, Uttar Pradesh-based social worker Uma Shankar Pandey, Sringeri MLA T.D. Raje Gowda and others will take part in the inauguration of the march at Sringeri.

Support from IMA

Shivamogga branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has extended support to the Nirmala Tungabhadra Abhiyana. Dr. S. Sridhara, president of IMA Shivamogga, informed the media that polluted drinking water is the major cause of many diseases. “The members of the IMA will join the march when it reaches Shivamogga. Besides that, doctors working at different places will join the march whenever the march reaches their place,” he added.