As part of a sustained campaign against any further development works atop Chamundi Hills and in a bid to safeguard its heritage and fragile environment, a Chamundi Betta walk has been organised on February 1. Participants will ascend the hills via the steps to voice their concerns and oppose the increasing “commercialisation and ecological degradation” of the area. Various citizen groups, activists and NGOs have come together to organise the campaign, seeking to maintain momentum against any works on the hills. The organisers have invited anyone concerned about the recent developments and eager to prevent Chamundi Hills from becoming a “concrete jungle” to gather at the foothills near Suttur Math at 7:30 a.m. Key participants include Bhamy Shenoy of the Mysuru Grahakara Parishat (MGP); Darshan Puttanaiah, Melukote MLA; Prof. N. S. Rangaraju, heritage expert; Badagalapura Nagendra, farmer leader; C. Basavalingaiah, former Rangayana director among others. It may be recalled that a large number of people, including environmental activists, members of citizen groups, NGO representatives and the public, participated in the Save Chamundi Hills campaign held on January 4. The participants opposed what they termed “unscientific development” in the area. Activists have specifically raised concerns over development works under the PRASHAD scheme and have demanded their immediate halt. Protests have erupted atop the hills, with various organisations calling for the works to be stopped. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mysuru MP, also voiced his opinion on the matter, stating that the State government must consider the concerns of those opposing the project. “Since people have expressed that the works under
PRASHAD could harm the heritage and ecology of the hills, their concerns need to be addressed,” he said. Regarding the PRASHAD scheme, the MGP has urged the Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru to draw the government’s attention to three key issues, though the Minister in-charge of Mysuru district, H.C. Mahadevappa, clarified that the works will not harm the heritage or ecology of the hills. The MGP pointed out that since Chamundi Hills was declared a heritage site in the last Mysuru Master Plan, prior approval from the Heritage Committee should have been obtained before undertaking any work on the hill. “No such approval has been secured. A full-fledged Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) should have been conducted, but none has been done. Instead of removing illegal encroachments and promoting Chamundi Hill as a spiritual centre, efforts appear to be moving in the opposite direction, turning it into a commercial hub,” the Parishat said.