Imperatives of buffer zone around Chamundi Hills emphasised

Urgent need for buffer zone around Chamundi Hills to prevent concretisation and protect ecological integrity from development projects.

The slew of construction works around Chamundi Hills and proposed projects for “development works” at the hilltop to cater to pilgrims, underscore the urgency of declaring a buffer zone around the hills.

This is to protect the growing concretisation of the hilltop as also the foothills and to ensure that there is a semblance of ecological continuity of Chamundi Hills which is increasingly turning into a concrete jungle.

Recently, BJP OBC Morcha State president R. Raghu Kautilya opposed the construction of a high-rise structure at the foot of Chamundi Hills and said the project was fraught with ecological danger. He urged the government to declare a ‘’no-construction zone’’ around Chamundi Hills in a radius of 3 km and ensure that only activity that is allied to agriculture be allowed.

Mr. Kautilya blamed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for turning a blind eye to the conservation of heritage, including Chamundi Hills which is a natural heritage site. But successive Chief Ministers have ignored environmental norms and approved a slew of projects atop Chamundi Hills which have turned the sacred site into a concrete jungle.

A few days earlier, former Mayor B.L. Bhyrappa too had levelled serious allegations that there was encroachment of land around Chamundi Hills all of which is a pointer to the imminent environmental threat faced by it.

This brings into focus the long-drawn struggle of various citizens’ group and NGOs which had all along called for the declaration of a buffer zone around Chamundi Hills and freeze construction activity to protect its ecological integrity.

Chamundi Hills and its surroundings had a semblance of greenery and were reckoned to be the last vestiges of wilderness in Mysuru, till about 25 years ago. Despite warnings of the impending runaway growth, the authorities ignored the call for notifying a buffer zone around Chamundi foothills which is now witnessing a slew of housing layouts coming up.