By P.T. Bopanna
To promote mass tourism, Karnataka government has turned the scenic spot of Raja Seat in Kodagu (Coorg) into a concrete monster. This is nothing short of rape of the hills in one of the most picturesque spots in South India, located at Madikeri town, on the slopes of the Western Ghats.
This photo taken by Deccan Herald newspaper (in picture) shows how the pristine greenery has been turned into concrete by a thoughtless government in the name of ‘renovation’.
The Rs 4.5 crore project was started by the previous Kodagu DC Annies Joy, who earned the nickname ‘Excavator Annies’ for deploying excavators at Raja Seat, a sensitive spot where landslides had occurred in 2018.
The Raja Seat ‘beautification’ project involves construction of pathways, watch towers and decorative arches. The work is still in progress and would be completed in a few months.
The government should immediately stop further work at Raja Seat failing which the tourist spot itself would slide down in the coming years. There was a landslide near the neighbouring Madikeri Akasha Vani premises this year.
Annies had come under fire for her infamous ‘Coorg Village’ project in the same area two years ago, for the construction of a shopping complex.
It is time the present Kodagu DC Charulata Somal who is known for her sensitivity to environmental issues, step in and prevent further damage to Raja Seat.
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