The opposition to the ropeway to Chamundi Hills proposed in the State Budget, is set to further intensify as NGOs intend to co-opt the cultural and heritage elements of the place and underline the imperatives of its conservation.
The project has been proposed under Parvata Mala scheme but the voices against it are getting louder by the day.
The members of Chamundi Betta Ulisi Horata Samithi or Save Chamundi Hills Action Committee, met on Tuesday – second time in the last one week – and have decided to broaden the support base for their protest. They will also try to co-opt members of various political parties and try to infuse sensitivity in them about the imperatives of safeguarding Chamundi Hills and its environment.
N.S. Rangaraju, retired professor of the Department of Studies in Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore, said apart from the environmental issues Chamundi Hills – which was a biodiversity hotspot – was also a cultural heritage centre and qualified as both natural and living heritage and hence needs to be conserved.
Mr. Rangaraju, who is also a member of the District Heritage Committee and INTACH Mysuru, said it was a fallacy to introduce ropeway on the pretext of tourism promotion. He pointed out that people visit Mysuru to view the palace, Chamundi Hills, zoo and KRS Dam/Brindavan Gardens and the ropeway would hold no fancy for them. The project will destroy the forest and the ecosystem which acts as a lung space for Mysuru.
Citing various Government Orders as per which the heritage and cultural properties and their precincts have to be conserved and the project could be challenged in the court of law, Mr. Rangaraju said Chamundi Hills provided a distinct identity to Mysuru and its sanctity cannot be violated.
Former Mayor B.L. Bhyrappa said it was imperative to declare a buffer zone around Chamundi Hills to conserve it for posterity and expressed concern over the growing concretisation on the hill top.
He said the ropeway project will entail installation of pillars or pylons to support the cable resulting in removal of vegetation and tree cover at such spots, thus eroding the green cover of Chamundi Hills. Mr.Bhyrappa – who staged a protest at the steps of Chamundi Hills last week – said the rampant urbanisation around the foothills and encroachment had resulted in the gradual shrinking of the lung space
There was also opposition to the proposed steel railings on both sides of the steps leading to the hill top which is being mooted under the Central Government’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme.
Parushuram Gowda of Parisara Balaga said they will prepare a memorandum or a petition reinforcing the salient features of Chamundi Hills and why a ropeway could be disastrous. They have roped in experts for the purpose and plan to circulate it among political parties and leaders. A workshop on the issue has also been mooted.
Kannada writer Kalegowda Nagavar, representatives of Parisara Balaga, eco-educationist Tanuja, and environmentalist and bird watcher Shylajesh were among those present.
