Mangaluru: Former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily, who was vocal in the diversion of Nethravathi River, will inaugurate the three-day Vishwa Tuluvere Parba (Global Tulu Festival) here on Friday, amidst opposition by a section of Mangaluru-based environmentalists.

Akhila Bharata Tulu Okkuta and Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy have organised the festival at Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management, Adyar, to observe the silver jubilee of the okkuta.

Meanwhile, Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya, a forum spearheading agitations against diverting the Nethravati through the proposed Yettinahole project, has opposed the inauguration of the festival by Moily. According to activists, Moily, now the MP of Chikkaballapur, was the main architect of the project.

However, Dharmapala U. Devadiga, executive president of the festival’s organising committee, confirmed that the former Chief Minister would inaugurate the festival, stating that he was responsible for the formation of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy when he was the Chief Minister.

The activists are likely to hold a protest at the venue condemning the choice of chief guest. One of its member said that the choice of venue is also inappropriate, as Sahyadri is accused of dumping mud on the river bank of Nethravathi to construct play ground and the festival is organized on the same controversial land, he said.

He also said that the festival would pass a resolution opposing the proposed Yettinahole project. Besides, there would be a session on kambala (slush track buffalo race) which was banned in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts recently, he said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Minister for Law and Justice D.V. Sadananda Gowda would attend the valedictory of the festival at 4 p.m. on December 14.