Save Chamundi Hills campaign gets royal support

By Shyam Sundar Vattam  | NT

Mysuru: With Chamundi Hills  where the famed Chamundeshwari Temple is  located, cracking under  developmental pressure,  the Mysuru royals have  rushed to the rescue with  scion of the royal family,  Yaduveer Krishnadatta  Chamaraja Wadiyar, joining the campaign opposing  new infrastructure work  atop the hills.

Under the PRASAD  scheme of the Union tourism ministry, Rs 100 crore  was to be spent on the hills  to provide new facilities  for pilgrims and tourists.  The PRASAD (Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive)  aims at the development  of pilgrimage destinations  in a sustainable manner  to provide a better tourist  and religious experience.  Tourism Minister Anand  Singh had submitted a proposal to the Centre during  a meeting of tourism ministers of southern states  to consider both Hampi  and Chamundi Hills under  the PRASAD scheme. But  locals are deeply worried.  Concerned Mysureans  have launched an online  campaign against any  new work on their beloved  hills which have witnessed  three disastrous landslides  in recent weeks.

Goddess Chamundeshwari is the presiding deity of  the royal family for three to  four centuries, and the kings  have made generous contributions towards the development of the shrine. Yaduveer  appealed to people to be part  of the campaign and prevail  upon the government to stop  the development work.

Already, 20,000 people have  joined the online campaign  from across the world. In the  past, the government had  tried to provide a ropeway,  metal sheets and widen the  road to provide shade for  devotees as they climb the  1001 steps, but they have not  been allowed to do this by  citizens of Mysuru.

According to the greens,  the biggest culprit is the local gram panchayat which  has been allotting land to  various individuals and organisations oblivious to the  impact the unplanned development would have on the  hills’ already at risk ecology.

When Shobha Karandlaje  was Rural Development &  Panchayat Raj Minister in  the Yediyurappa government, she had recommended  suspension of the gram panchayat concerned, following  complaints of irregularities  against officers and elected  representatives. People are  demanding the constitution  of a Chamundi Hill Development Authority to decide on  what is really required on  the hills.