MADIKERI: "Rivers emanating from Kodagu account for over 400 tmcft of the 800 tmcft stored in the four major reservoirs in the State. The time has come to demand royalty for the contribution the district has made in protest against the step-motherly attitude of the Government towards Kodagu," Madikeri MLA K.G. Bopaiah said here on Thursday.

This will be the main demand of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Madikeri taluk unit, when it will picket the Chief Minister's residence in Bangalore on September 12, he told a press conference here on Thursday. The BJP will organise the people of the district and seek the support of all parties demanding Rs. 1 crore as royalty for every tmcft. of water contributed from Kodagu, he said.

Mr. Bopaiah sought to know how Hassan district could get Rs. 8 crores in relief when only Sakleshpur has suffered damage in the rains. The monsoon has played havoc in Kodagu. But the Government is not forthcoming with relief, he said.

Members of the 27 gram panchayats in Madikeri taluk will take part in the agitation in Bangalore, he said. Even if the Government does not respond, the party will mobilise people to fight for the cause of the district, Mr. Bopaiah added.

The State Government has neglected Kodagu, he alleged. The district has suffered extensively in the rains, and Rs. 32 crores was sought from the Government to take up relief works. It is unfortunate that only Rs. 1.48 crore has been released so far. Last year also, the Government released only Rs. 1 crore in response to a Rs. 25-crore proposal, he recalled.

Move opposed

Mr. Bopaiah, who reacted strongly to the booking of cases by the Forest Department against him and 39 others in connection with felling of trees for widening the Balambi-Dabbaka-Chettimani road in Madikeri taluk on August 21, said the department's move is against the guidelines issued by the Centre.

The six-km stretch in question pertains to the Revenue Department and not the Forest Department, he said. Moreover, the Centre has passed some guidelines with regard to the diversion of forestland for non-forest purposes. The department has acted against the guidelines, he said.

Mr. Bopaiah alleged that the Forest Department is acting against the interests of the people. There are many roads that pass through the forests. He accused the department of hampering work on the Kadamakkal road, which reduces the distance from Madikeri to Subramanya by 60 km.

The department has failed to take note of the large-scale felling of trees in rubber plantations leased out to private companies in Sampaje. It has failed to put an end to smuggling of timber. On the other hand, it is after poor people who occupied forestlands many years ago. The department should help landowners obtain tree rights, Mr. Bopaiah said.

On the proposed construction of a mini-hydel project at Abbey Falls near here, Mr. Bopaiah made it clear that his party will support the project if it does not affect people living in the surroundings. The company concerned should come forward to tell people about the pros and cons of the project.

Sunil Subramani, General Secretary of the Kodagu BJP unit, said none of the BJP workers in the Kalakeri-Nidugane Gram Panchayat (Abbey Falls comes under this panchayat) has resigned protesting against the project.

D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Mangalore MP, had intervened and apprised people about the Gundya project in Dakshina Kannada, which is now underway. Similar efforts will be initiated here, he said.

Party functionaries Ravi Kushalappa, K.M. Prakash, Bellu Somaiah, Ravi Basappa and Kishore Kumar were present.

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