Chamundi Hills in Mysuru is a victim of unbridled “development” promoted by the State much to the chagrin of a section of the citizens keen on its conservation.
A group of naturalists and bird watchers from the city have documented the bird and butterfly species found in Chamundi Hills and uploaded the results on the websitewww.mysorenature.org
The team recorded 150 species of birds belonging to 44 families during their 15 year observation period. Environmental educationist and activist Tanuja said the presence of the oriental scops owl was recorded for the first time at Chamundi Hills last year and recently migratory winter birds from north were also observed. While the road widening is one project, the proposed ropeway to the hill is another. But recommendations to conserve the hill by declaring a buffer zone around it has fallen on deaf years as a result of which Chamundi Hills is trapped in a tug of war with unbridled urbanisation at the foothills and ‘planned development’’ at the top which, environmentalists say, is a recipe for disaster.
