Mysore/Mysuru: The Chamundi Betta Samithi, which is spearheading a campaign against the developmental destruction such as the proposed ropeway atop the Hill and railings to the steps from the foot of the Hill, will be holding a round table meeting with various experts to deliberate on the issue. The meeting with various experts will be held between 10 am and 2.30 pm at JSS Women’s College auditorium in Saraswathipuram here on Apr. 3.
Announcing this at a press meet at Pathrakartara Bhavan this morning, Parisara Balaga Founder-Member Parashuramegowda said that wildlife photographer and documentary maker Krupakar, Heritage expert Prof. N. Rangaraju, Geologist Prof. Janardhan, Environmentalist A. Shivaprakash Adavanne, Structural Engineer Maj. Gen. (retd.) S.G. Vombatkere and Water expert Prof. U.N. Ravikumar will be present and speak at the meeting.
Environmentalists Nagesh Hegde, Shashidhar Shetty and activist and writer Rupa Hassan will address the meeting virtually, Parashuramegowda said and added that various environmental activists, organisations and individuals will also be taking part in the meeting.
Continuing, he said that the proposed ropeway, railings to the steps projects and construction of buildings atop Chamundi Hill, to be taken up under Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme, will no way help in the development but in fact would destroy the Hill and added that many experts have expressed shock over the proposed developmental projects.
“Chamundi Betta Ulisi Samithi, which held signature campaigns against the proposed projects, had collected over 50,000 signatures, which would be digitalised and sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai soon,” Parashuramegowda said.
Former Mayor B.L. Bhyrappa, who spoke, said that a few youths and organisations, who had welcomed the proposed projects are now opposing the same after they read various articles by experts in newspapers which said that the so called developmental works would indeed cause destruction of the Hill.
Speaking about landslips atop the Hill, Bhyrappa said that according to experts, the landslips occurred due to pressure atop the Hill as huge constructions have been taken up atop the Hill. Stating that Chamundi Hill should be protected and preserved for our future generations, Bhyrappa called upon Mysureans to oppose any developmental works that would harm Chamundi Hill.
Leela Shivakumar of Clean Mysuru, who too spoke, said: “We are only speaking about development without taking clean environment into consideration. The importance of oxygen came to be known only during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, where many died due to lack of oxygen. Hence it is the responsibility of every Mysurean to protect Chamundi Hill from getting destroyed.”
Parisara Balaga Members Prabha Nandeesh, Venkateshiah and Bhugathagalli Javarappa were present.
This post was published on March 31, 2022 6:42 pm