The skies are not opening up as expected and the state is likely to witness drinking water crisis next summer. In an attempt to protect the environment and raise awareness, especially about the Cauvery catchment area, two cyclists Ashish Muthappa, a second-year interior design student at Jain University in Bengaluru, and his friend Chengappa Chekkara, an HR consultant, also based in Bengaluru, will cycle from Bengaluru to Virajpete on August 12.
Muthappa told BM, “Cauvery is the lifeline of South India. It provides water to over 80 million people and 600 major industries across the region. The food, water and economic security of southern India depend largely on Cauvery. Trees were axed for a high-tension power line from Mysuru to Kozhikode in Kerala. There is a proposal to expand the railway network and four-laning of national highways through Kodagu. The weather is already changing and it is becoming humid. The projects will indeed cause large scale destruction of several thousands of precious trees that guard the Cauvery catchment area. Do we really need this development at the cost of water?”
In the past, the duo participated in several cycle expeditions in Bengaluru city for a cause. Ashish said,”“We hope to leave Bengaluru at about 1am so that we reach Mandya early in the morning. We are looking forward to interacting with farmer groups there. We hope to video-record our interactions with famers. We are approaching cyclists in Mysuru. Cyclists from Coorg are expected to join us in Mysuru, Gonikoppa and Virajpete were the expedition ends, “he said.
Cycling 270 km to protect the catchment area is just the beginning. “We would like to spread more awareness on environment degradation by cycling through the Western Ghats stretch soon. When we observe the Cauvery catchment area, we have noticed that massive deforestation is taking place and no afforestation,” they said.
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> News> State / by Deepthi Sanjiv, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / August 02nd, 2017
