DH News Service MANGALORE, May 17 As per a survey, around 400 mw power would be generated by utilising natural resources available through waterfalls in the Western Ghats. Environmental organisations in the region say that the government should opt minor hydro power projects to fulfill the power need of the district instead of going for major projects and thereby causing great harm to the bio-diversity and endangered species of the Western Ghats. Talking about the possibilities of minor hydro power projects in the wake of government’s move to divert Nethravathi river, Mr Ranjanrao Yerdur, President, Federation of the Environmental Organisations, Dakshin Kannada, said that a survey conducted by geologist Dr Ajay Agarwal in 1987-88 was still relevant. The government should give a serious thought to the issue. Dr Agarwal’s survey, taken up in the erstwhile Dakshina Kannada district, indicated that there were about six potential waterfalls that can generate power enough for the district. If government conducted another survey on the lines of the one already conducted, some more spots could be identified for implementing power projects. Dr Agarwal’s survey had also said that power projects that could generate around 5,000 mw power would be implemented in the district, he said. Mr Yerdur said that the greens were not against the setting up of major industries. But they oppose industries that would pollute the environment. Major industries are not taking interest in adapting technologies that will check pollution,he said adding that the notion that major industries would alleviate poverty and reduce unemployment rate was disproved by the MRPL. That was why the the environmental organisations were opposing big industries here, he said. ÿ