Demand for creation of Devaraj Urs district gaining momentum

Mysuru: After the formation of Vijayanagara district by bifurcating Bellary district, the movement for a separate Hunsur district is gaining strength. During the 106th birthday celebration of former chief minister D Devaraj Urs, the demand was raised by Hunsur MLA H P Manjunath and MLC H Vishwanath. Devaraja Urs hailed from Hunsur taluk hence the people are demanding creation of a new district with Hunsur as headquarters and naming it after him.

Manjunath said that for administrative convenience, Hunsur should be made a separate district. He said people are facing hardships to travel 50-70 km to reach district headquarters to get official work done.

At present Mysore district has 11 taluks with a population of little more than thirty lakhs. The district has an area of 11,954 sq km. If the district is divided into two the workload on all government offices would ease. As per the demand, Hunsur comprising K.R. Nagar, Periyapatna, H.D. Kote and the two new taluks of Sargur and Saligrama should be made a district.

Speaking to The Hans India, MLC Vishwanath said that the proposed district would include large tracts of forest land with a wide variety of wild animals, besides regions known for producing export quality Virginia flue-cured variety of tobacco. There is a huge scope for exporting fruits, flowers, vegetables and poultry products to neighbouring Kerala, which is barely 80 km from Hunsur.

He claimed that the sentiments of the people of the region are in favour of bifurcation of Mysuru district to create Devaraj Urs district. District in charge minister S T Somashekar said that he would soon take a delegation of legislators to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.