Dear Concerned Citizens,

We are writing to draw your attention to the devastating impact of the proposed Hubballi-Ankola railway line on the Western Ghats, one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots. The project involves laying down a single rail line of 165 kilometers, which will cut through the primary forests of the Western Ghats, causing irreparable damage to the ecosystem and endangering the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on it for their survival.

The Western Ghats is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a crucial water catchment area for Karnataka. The forests here provide a range of ecosystem services, including freshwater supply, carbon sequestration, and soil conservation. The region also supports a wide range of agriculture, horticulture, and livestock activities, providing livelihoods to thousands of people. The Western Ghats is also home to many indigenous communities whose livelihoods depend on the forest and its resources.

The proposed railway line will cause extensive damage to the Western Ghats forests, which are critical for the survival of the state's people as they provide rainfall and manage to store water in primary forests. The Western Ghats region falls in a rain shadow area, and two-thirds of Karnataka state semi-arid and second highest after Rajasthan. Therefore, the people are dependent on rivers originating in the Western Ghats, which take birth in the primary forests.

If the Hubballi-Ankola project is implemented in the primary forests of the Western Ghats, which give birth to thousands of forest streams, tributaries, and rivers, tomorrow, these water sources may completely dry up, with no water flowing to them. 

Furthermore, the Nethravati river, which originates in the Western Ghats and flows through several districts, is already drying up due to rampant deforestation and unchecked development. The railway line will further exacerbate the problem, leading to a severe water crisis in the region coming years. This project also poses a severe threat to the tiger population in the area, which is already dwindling due to habitat loss.

We urge concerned citizens to support our petition to save the Western Ghats and protect our basic needs for survival, which is water. Without this, we may face the prospect of having to depend on other states for water or migrate to other regions. Let us not support a rail line that will compromise our future and wellbeing.

Therefore, we appeal to the government of Karnataka to reconsider the implementation of the Hubli-Ankola railway line project and explore alternative routes that do not involve the destruction of the Western Ghats. We must protect our natural resources and wildlife for the sake of our future generations. Let us not be remembered as the generation that destroyed the Western Ghats and its unique biodiversity. Let us stand together and take a stand for the environment and our future.

Together, we can make a difference and protect the Western Ghats from destruction.