In a heartfelt appeal, residents from the villages of Gundibail, Marathi Keri, Henni, Hire Henni, and Vadanbail in Sagar taluk have formally written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, demanding the cancellation of the controversial Sharavati Pumped Storage Project. Their letter, delivered on Saturday, underscores deep fears that the project would severely disrupt their lives and livelihoods.
The communities recount a painful history of displacement. They were first moved from their ancestral lands in the 1960s during the construction of the Linganmakki Project. Later, they faced a second uprooting when the Talakalale reservoir was built, forcing them to relocate once more.
“We are once again confronted with the specter of displacement,” the villagers passionately stated in their letter. “Our hopes for a secure future for our children have been shattered. Should this project proceed, we stand to lose everything.”