Karnataka needs more than one economic centre: Ramachandra Guha

Karnataka should not focus its resources solely on Bengaluru and, instead it should develop other cities as financial and economic capitals, said  historian and writer Ramachandra Guha.

He was speaking at a panel discussion on 'My idea of Karnataka' organised by the Bengaluru Central University on Wednesday. This is  the first session of the Foundation Lecture series organised by the varsity.

Guha gave examples of neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala which have more than one centre of commerce.

The panel also included academician Valerian Rodrigues, researcher Sharad Lele, engineer C P Ravikumar among others.

They discussed the hegemony of Bengaluru and the increasing disconnect between the city and the hinterlands.

"The big question is how Bengaluru can move forward without hurting the hinterland. Bengalureans don't understand where our water comes from and the effect it has on the Western Ghats," said Lele, who is a researcher at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE).

He, however, added that there is still time for course correction. "Bengaluru is at an early stage of decay in terms of pollution levels, and its resources have not yet depleted irreversibly, so we still have time to chart a new trajectory," said Lele.

The event also saw the release of a book titled  'Speaking for Karnataka' - a compilation of deliberations on the state.