Concerns are growing over the increasing concretization of Chamundi Hills and the erosion of its green cover. | Photo credit: MA SRIRAM
The drive to ‘develop’ Chamundi Hills under the Union government’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) has drawn the ire of citizens who have planned a rally against it on January 4.
The ‘Save Chamundi Hills’ walk will start from the steps – near JSS Mutt – to the top of the hill at 7.30 am and is an initiative of various NGOs and public bodies from Mysuru and surrounding areas.
It is spearheaded by Parisarakkagi Naavu (People for Environment) in collaboration with Mysuru Grahakara Parishat, Team Mysuru, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Belavala Foundation, Mysuru Cultural Association and other organizations.
Although Chamundi Hills has been caught in the tug of war between unsustainable development and conservation for the past two decades and is facing unbridled encroachment, the latest trigger for the public is the PRASHAD scheme to be implemented as it includes a multi-purpose hall, toilets and a long pillared pavilion with stone pillars along the catchment area which will act as a pilugrim.
Activists say that such fresh constructions only add to the concretization of Chamundi Hills and disturb its forest cover. Parusharame Gowda of People for Environment said they are seeking an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and a study to determine the carrying capacity of Chamundi Hills. In his absence, projects like PRASHAD are being pushed in Chamundi Hills at the expense of the environment.
Activists have also expressed their dismay at the functioning of the Sri Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority, set up by the state government, which they say acts more as a facilitator for project implementation than to protect the environment.
Environmentalists said the citizens of Mysuru had prepared a draft regulation governing the authority and submitted it to the government. They asked for the appointment of a geologist, environmental expert, heritage expert and hydrologist or water conservation expert to protect Chamundi Hills. However, the existing body is full of government officials without any expertise and they cannot challenge the decision of the authority as it is chaired by the Chief Minister.
In the absence of an environmental focus, there is an increasing concretization of Chamundi Hills and its ecosystem under the pretext of “development” where projects are pushed forward without public consent.
The erstwhile Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and successive governments have ignored citizen pleas to declare a buffer zone around Chamundi Hills on the grounds that its geological integrity extends far beyond the hillside. Instead, however, MUDA allowed dozens of housing developments that swarmed around it like a belt and threatened its ecology.
Environmentalists say the importance of Chamundi Hills as a vital lung space that deserves protection has been lost by the authorities. Instead of being recognized as a sensitive ecological reserve, it is repeatedly seen as prime real estate potential, leaving it vulnerable to uncontrolled and harmful development, they added. In the process, the sanctity of the hills as a religious and spiritual center is also being eroded for commercial growth, activists said.
Published – 31 Dec 2025 19:56 IST
