Mysuru: A controversy has erupted over the unauthorised drilling and destruction of massive rock formations on private land atop Chamundi Hill, sparking outrage among environmentalists, local villagers and trekkers.

The activity was detected near the steps route to the Hill, behind a Government School in Survey No. 24/2, where the landowner allegedly began removing five to six large boulders with the help of labourers and heavy-duty drilling machinery.

Holes were bored into the rocks, and the boulders were pulverised without mandatory clearance from the Forest Department. Over the past few days, vigilant citizens noticed the large-scale drilling and suspected it to be illegal mining on the Hill, which is classified as a protected                                                          ecological zone.

Videos of the drilling equipment in operation quickly spread across social media, triggering public anger and calls for an immediate investigation.

Responding to the uproar, Village Accountant S. Mahesh, under the direction of Tahsildar Mahesh Kumar, carried out an on-site inspection on Friday morning. The survey revealed that the land in question is registered as ‘Hiduvali’ — a hereditary private tenure, and not Government property.

Revenue officials clarified that while the landowner holds legal ownership, he bypassed the required permissions from the Forest Department to carry out rock removal.

As a result, the Revenue Department cannot take direct punitive action, though the violation of forest clearance rules will now be examined by the authorities.

This finding has dispelled rumours of illegal mining on Government land, but the incident has reignited serious concerns over the lack of oversight and the potential environmental damage to the ecologically fragile Chamundi Hill.

Officials stressed that the site is private property and not an encroachment, though they acknowledged the need for stricter regulation to prevent such activities in future.