Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi hills in Mysuru on Tuesday, September 3. The Minister in charge of Mysuru district H.C. Mahadevappa, G.T. Deve Gowda, MLA, Yathindra, MLC, were present. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, September 3, said the Sri Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority was constituted to provide better facilities to devotees and added that a master plan focussing on the overall development of Chamundi hills over the next five years would be prepared. Also, the authority has resolved to make the hills ‘plastic-free’ while banning smoking, consumption of liquor, and tobacco products on the hills, said Mr. Siddaramaiah.
Key decisions taken
- Ban on use of mobile phones and photography inside the temple
- Ban on smoking, liquor and tobacco consumption atop the hills
- Entire Chamundi hills to be ‘plastic-free’
- Renovation of five ancient temples that are part of the authority
- CCTV surveillance atop the hills for safety of devotees
- All pending projects, including drinking water project to be completed soon
- Scientific disposal of solid wastes generated atop the hills
- Task force to look into safety issues, interests of devotees
The development of Devi Kere and the famous Nandi statue temple is also in the offing, he added.
Addressing a press conference after presiding over the first meeting of Sri Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority atop the hills here, Mr. Siddaramaiah, who visited Sri Chamundeshwari Temple along with some of his Cabinet colleagues and offered a puja before the meeting, said the authority was constituted on the lines of the authorities at M.M. Hills, Saundatti, and Gati Subramanya. The authority will look into the facilities for devotees, taking up development works atop the hills and also in temples coming under its control, he noted.
Minister in charge of Mysuru district H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sericulture K. Venkatesh, Minister for Transport and Muzrai Ramalinga Reddy, G.T. Deve Gowda, MLA, and local MLAs and MLCs and senior officials were present.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said he directed the officials to complete all pending projects at the earliest. Some projects taken up years ago have not been completed even today. Such projects, including the drinking water supply atop the hills, must be completed on priority. A direction in this regard has been issued to the Department of Urban Development.
The CM said hygiene atop the hills was very crucial and solid waste generated needs to be handled scientifically. In this connection, steps have been taken with the works on the unit for handling the wastes were nearing completion with pending electricity works and minor civil works.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said he directed the officials to ensure cleanliness at the temple and the hills and also in other temples under the authority.
Safety and security of devotees atop the hills was also key with thousands of devotees visiting the temple daily. “I have asked the Police Department to identify places where surveillance can be stepped up by installing CCTV cameras.”
Union Bank of India has come forward to install CCTVs atop the hills as part of its CSR initiative, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, adding that adequate lighting in and around the temple complex must be ensured.
The authority has also resolved to constitute a task force for the safety of devotees and the security of the place, with the Police Department directed to restrict illegal activities in the hill environs.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the State’s share of ₹11 crore for the Centre’s PRASHAD scheme will be allocated. There is no dearth of funds as the temple has funds for the works. There is a fixed deposit of ₹169 crore and the temple revenue is increasing with the rise in devotees, he explained.
“I have been told to repair the lift at Dasoha Bhavan and provide quality food,” he said while announcing medical facilities for the permanent staff of the temple.
During the meeting, it was decided to take up the restoration of five out of 24 temples coming under the authority’s jurisdiction. The temples include Sri Prasanna Krishnaswamy Temple, Sri Gayatri Ammanavara Temple, Sri Bhuvaneshwari Temple, Sri Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple and Sri Varahaswami Temple.
