Experts oppose ropeway to Chamundi Hills proposed in the State Budget

Citizens moot legislation to save Chamundi Hills

Nearly 200 people participate in a conference held to save Chamundi Hills and oppose the ropeway project, in Mysuru on Sunday | Photo Credit: SRIRAM MA

The public opposition to the proposed ropeway project to Chamundi Hills received a new impetus as experts from different fields provided new legal and environmental framework to thwart the undertaking.

The ropeway project to Chamundi Hills was announced in the State budget for 2022-23 by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai though no budgetary allocations have been made.

A round table conference involving stakeholders and subject experts was conducted in the city on Sunday by various environmental and citizens groups under the banner of ‘Chamundi Betta Ulisi Horata Samithi’ or Action Committee to save Chamundi Hills.

Apart from the environmental reasons as to why the project was fraught with danger, experts highlighted the existing legal framework, historical and archaeological importance besides the region’s biodiversity that calls for the conservation of Chamundi Hills.

Major Gen. (retd) Sudhir Vombatkere called for crowdfunding to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by the public as the Government was not legally bound to do so unless the project investment was at least ₹50 crore while the ropeway costs less. He also cited a recent Supreme Court judgement which stated that environment overrides individual rights and said this ruling provides strength to Save Chamundi Hills movement. Mr. Vombatkere also called for pressurising the Government to promulgate a Chamundi Hills Conservation Act so as to conserve it for posterity.

Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, Convenor, INITACH, Mysuru said Chamundi Hill conservation stems from its historical, archaeological and epigraphic importance and pointed out that 29 inscriptions have been discovered from the place. Besides, Chamundi Hills constituted both natural and cultural heritage and cited the provisions of the Zonal Regulation (Amendment) 2020 which could be used in the fight to stop the ropeway project.   

Prof. Rangaraju said as per the law the project should also be placed for clearance before the district heritage committee whose members, he said, are committed to preserving the heritage of Mysuru.

Prof. U.N. Ravikumar, an environmentalist said Mysuru deserves a pattern of sustainable development with conservation of natural heritage and called for a buffer zone around Chamundi Hills. It was also an important watershed for the region and helped recharge 20 water bodies that regulated the micro climatic conditions besides sustaining the biodiversity of the region, he added.

However, recent developments had resulted in concretisation of Chamundi Hills reducing its capacity for water percolation. The concretisation had led to water run off contributing to landslides and such developments should be stopped, said Prof. Ravikumar.

Providing a geological perspective Prof. M.R. Janardhan, an expert in the subject, said the western and southern face of Chamundi Hills was fragile and prone to landslides. He touched upon the geological history and the formation of the terrain and said the weathering process had depleted the strength of the rock and soil rendering the hill vulnerable thus hinting that the ropeway project was fraught with danger.

Over 200 people from all walks of life including Parashurame Gowda, environmentalist, Krupakar, wildlife expert, activists belonging to various organisations, were present.