Environmentalists in Mysuru have raised concerns over the slew of “development projects” coming atop the Chamundi Hills and fear that it will deliver a debilitating blow to the local eco-system.
There are also plans to approach the court to stall the projects in a bid to conserve the environment which has a bearing on the microclimatic conditions of the city.
Mysore Grahakara Parsishat (MGP) president R. Chandraprakash told The Hindu that the authorities have done a “u-turn” in going ahead with the development works at Chamundi Hills though they had earlier given indications that some of it would be dropped.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who laid the foundation stone for various development works worth Rs.79.34 crore on Thursday, also stated that the Chamundeshwari temple atop the hill will be developed on the lines of the one on Tirumala.
The projects which will come up include a commercial complex to house 116 shops, a multi-level parking complex and sheltered queues among others.
Besides, the existing road will also be widened to which conservationists have objected.
That the authorities are keen to augment revenue generation is evident in the CM’s statement that there was scope to increase the revenue by attracting more tourists by strengthening infrastructure.
Mr. Chandraprakash said that the focus should be on augmenting the greenery of the hills which is becoming barren apart from being overrun by concrete structures at the top.
NGOs in the city have at various times underlined the imperatives of declaring a buffer zone around Chamundi Hills to protect the landscape as it is threatened by the proliferation of residential layouts around it. A reply to an earlier RTI petition also indicated plans for a dormitory, a VIP guest house and hence the MGP is collating material to approach the High Court to stall the project.
The proposed development of Chamundi Hills on the lines of the Tirumala temple with guest houses and dormitories has been described by activists as meaningless as Mysuru is hardly 15 minutes drive from the hill top and tourists generally stay in the city.
