Chikkamagaluru: Art of Living founder Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visited Kalasapura, Kabbigarahally, Sindigere on Wednesday and reviewed the ongoing Vedavathy rejuvenation works. He interacted with river rejuvenation team, volunteers and the local community.
Art of Living founder Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar reviewing the ongoing Vedavathy rejuvenation works in Chikkamagaluru on Wednesday
Vice-president of Lakkumanahally GP Thammegowda said due to rejuvenation works, borewells in the GP limits which had become dysfunctional since 2004, have now started working.
When ZP member Raveendra Belavadi attributed the scanty rainfall to planting of eucalyptus and acacia trees, guruji intervened and said the Forest Department must be told to plant honne, neem and ficus trees which require less water and also provide food for birds.
He said 6,000 wells are recharged in the district and there are 1,370 tanks which need to be recharged.
To a question on why he has chosen Chikkamagaluru district, Guruji said many rivers originate from the district.
Prasanna of Sindigere said AoL has provided pure water and hoped that 150 injunction wells will meet with 100 per cent success if it rains.PDO Lokesh said construction of 47 boulder checkdams is completed in the GP limits.
When asked about the government's move to denotify tanks in the state, Guruji said the government will be convinced not to denotify and pleaded ignorance about the move to close cow shelter at Panchanahally , hastening to add that he will look into it after getting the information. ZP president Chaitrashree Malathesh and others accompanied him.
AoL initiated the rejuvenation programme for Vedavathy river in 2013 which is the lifeline of millions of people in Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Chitradurga districts.The comprehensive watershed management programme planned across 1,097 villages covering an area of 5,447 sqkm, has already built 6,786 recharge structures, providing employment to 2,000 people.
Project director Nagaraj Gangolli said 40 percent work is already completed and groundwater levels have started rising. He said the remaining works will be completed within a year if all the stakeholders support. As many as 15 lakh people across the state will benefit if 21,800 recharge structures and afforestation activities are implemented.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar appealed to villagers not to make lakes dumping yards of garbage. Later, he led a civil society march ‘Run for River’ here and also participated in the Satsang held at the AIT Engineering College.
Courtesy: The New Indian Express
