Kushalnagar: With heavy downpour, landslides and floods ravaging Kodagu district for the past couple of years, Madikeri MLA M.P. Appachu Ranjan said that the Centre will be appealed for constructing flood walls along River Cauvery for preventing floods.

He was speaking after releasing ‘Namami Cauvery’ volume at a programme jointly organised by Cauvery River Swachhata Andolana and Cauvery Maha Arathi Balaga at Kushalnagar recently.

Asserting that all efforts will be made for stopping Cauvery floods in the future, Appachu Ranjan said that Swachhata Andolana activities have resulted in 60 percent cleansing of River Cauvery so far, which is a noteworthy achievement.

Senior Journalist J. Rajendra said that lack of hygienity was haunting the entire world. 

Stressing on the need for everyone to practice cleanliness, he warned against fighting for pride in respect of Talacauvery. 

Highlighting that it is important for maintaining the sanctity of River Cauvery, which is the lifeline for crores of people in the Southern States, he wanted the Government to constitute a District-level Committee for Talacauvery, Bhagamandala.

Cautioning against political meddling in the forming of Temple Committees, Rajendra bemoaned the apathetic attitude of officials in responding to the plight of the people in the wake of natural disasters.

Earlier, Kirikodli Mutt Seer Sri Sadashiva Swamiji, who spoke after inaugurating the programme, said that rivers are getting polluted because of lack of a hygienic and scientific sense among the people.

Observing that it is important for everyone to have an understanding on the ways of preserving nature, he said that it is vital that wastes are not dumped to the rivers and such unsensible acts will only destroy their sanctity and serenity.

Senior Priest Krishnamurthy Bhat, Pourakarmikas Ganesh and Purushottam, ‘Namami Cauvery’ Editorial Board Members H.T.  Anil, B.C. Dinesh, Vinod and B.M. Latish were felicitated on the occasion.

M.N. Chandramohan delivered the keynote address. Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Member Manjula, Kushalnagar Development Authority Chairman M.M. Charan, Members V.D. Pundarikaksha and Vaishak, Town Panchayat Members Jayavardhan and Amrutraj, Kushalnagar BJP President V.N. Umashankar and others were present.