Greens, heritage experts and the public raise their voices against the proposed cable car
Mysuru: The announcement of the cable car to Chamundi Hill in the budget met with strong opposition from all sections and an emergency meeting, called by the Save Chamundi Hill Committee, at Ramakrishna Park near Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Circle in the city this morning , opposed the project and urged the state government not to go ahead. Heritage experts, conservationists, academics, nature lovers and members of the public, who attended today’s meeting, said the project would destroy the naturally formed Chamundi hill. They urged the state government not to destroy the hill in the name of development and said, “Let Chamundi hill be as it is now. The hill is a gift of nature, do not destroy it.
Member of Expert Committee for Development and Protection of Mysore Heritage Region and Organizer, INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), Prof. NS Rangaraju said that in 2004, a government decree stated that Mysuru was a heritage town.
“Mysuru, Srirangapatna, Vijayapura and Kalaburagi were all heritage towns as per government order. In 2014, 14 towns including Badami, Belur, Halebeedu and other places were included. In the same year, Bangalore was also included in the list of heritage cities. It is now our responsibility to save our city and its nature,” said heritage expert Professor Rangaraju.
“Chamundi Hill has its own tradition and its own religious significance. It is not necessary to attract tourists and visitors to the Hill by building a cable car. The government is trying to make the proposed project a business and there is a need to save Chamundi Hill from development related destruction,” he added.
this morning as Professor Kalegowda Nagawara, former Mayor BL Bhyrappa and others look on.
Parashuramappa from the Save Chamundi Hill committee also spoke at the meeting.
Former Mayor BL Bhyrappa, who also spoke, said he grew up seeing and visiting Chamundi Hill. He said Chamundi hill is full of delicate rocks and it would be dangerous to dig trenches or pits to erect poles. The cable car project will lead to the destruction of greenery and the hill could become barren. How can we bring back nature if it dies, he questioned and called on Mysureans to unite and oppose government cable car projects.
It was decided at the meeting to hold a one-day seminar involving religious leaders, scientists, heritage experts, political leaders, environmentalists and others to discuss the ongoing destructions of Chamundi Hill in the development name. The date of the seminar will be announced shortly.
Kalegowda Nagawara, Principal Folk Researcher, Director of Clean Mysuru Foundation Leela Venkatesh, Leela Shivakumar, Suguna and Susheela of the Foundation, Anjana, Ramegowda and Prabha of Parisara Balaga, Deputy Executive Engineer Retired Manjunath, Bird Watchers Shailajesh, DH Tanuja, Sadiq Pasha, Kusuma and others were present.
