FRAGILE EARTH: Heavy rain caused a landslip at Chamundi Hills on Friday. — Photo: M.A. Sriram

MYSORE: The landslip reported atop Chamundi Hills on Friday following heavy rain is a pointer to the fragility of the eco-system. It also vindicates environmentalists' opposition to the project.

It also underlines the need to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) to ascertain the feasibility of such a project before it is cleared.

The ropeway project proposal at Chamundi Hills ran into controversy after the Government decided to go ahead with it to "promote tourism."

The project ran into rough weather when leading non-governmental organisations (NGOs) of the city garnered public opinion against it and launched a signature campaign with support from litterateurs, intellectuals, academicians and students.

With Mysore District in-charge Minister D.T. Jayakumar brushing aside public criticism and deciding to go ahead with the project, the issue has cropped up once again.

Environmentalists pointed out that the landslips caused by recent rain vindicated their claim that Chamundi Hills was fragile and it could not withstand further ecological stress. A series of landslips was reported last year and the road leading to Chamundi Hills had to be closed for traffic for some time, they said.

Members of Mysore Amateur Naturalists (MAN) underlined the importance of conducting an EIA. They wondered as to why the requirements of the law were not being complied with by the Government.

They also drew attention to the recent Supreme Court directives to the State Governments on environment protection and conservation.

Landslips occurred owing to loss of green cover. As a result, the topsoil would remain exposed for a long period, leading to erosion. The ropeway project would compound the problem as large tracts of forestland would have to be cleared and trees felled for it. It was reckoned that a 2-km stretch of forestland had to be cleared for construction of pillars for the cableway at every 50 metres, the activists. The project would also require clearing of additional forestland to create access paths for construction workers. A large congregation of workers and their families would camp along the project site and this would add to the ecological stress, they said. There was a proliferation of concrete structures around Chamundi Hills. This would make it all the more important for conducting an EIA, the activists said.

Eminent citizens of Mysore, NGOs and environmentalists have been demanding creation of a buffer zone around the hills. They suggested that all development activities that diluted the existing land use pattern be shelved.

At least 300 metres around the hills be declared "core conservation area" and used only for forestry and conservation activity, and the remaining 200 metres be declared "peripheral conservation area" with emphasis on horticulture and agriculture, they said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail