Environmentalists in the city have tried to impress upon the government that Chamundi Hills is not a mere tourist and religious centre where facilities can be infinitely expanded but is a fragile geological and hydrological system that merits conservation.
The role of Chamundi Hills as an important watershed for Mysuru, where alteration of natural drainage, soil compaction, and concretisation directly affect groundwater recharge and downstream water availability, has been emphasised on in a memorandum submitted to the authorities.
Making a strong case for regulation and conservation, the environmentalists have argued that hill development must be governed by scientifically determined limits on built-up area, vehicular movement, footfall, and infrastructure load. They caution that incremental approvals, taken without an integrated carrying-capacity framework, cumulatively cause irreversible damage even if each individual intervention appears small.
Pointing out that Chamundi Hills is not merely a site for infrastructure augmentation, the activists said it is a living hill ecosystem, a cultural and spiritual symbol, and a geological formation shaped over millions of years.
‘’Once damaged beyond a threshold, it cannot be restored by engineering or compensatory measures’’, they added.
In addition, various studies carried out by voluntary organisations over decades have helped create a database that underlines the rich biodiversity harboured by Chamundi Hills. According to the data uploaded by Mysore Nature on it website (https://www.mysorenature.org) Chamundi Hills supports 153 species of butterflies and 193 species of birds belonging to 44 families. This includes 134 species that are resident birds, of which 72 species breed at Chamundi Hills. Mammals found include bonnet macaque, common leopard, rusty spotted cat, common palm civet, black-naped hare, and pangolin.
Published – December 31, 2025 07:58 pm IST
