Huge hill razed for residential layout triggers landslide panic

Madikeri: A huge hill has been razed unscientifically to construct a residential layout which has created panic of possible landslides in Madikeri. According to sources in survey number 543/73 and 543/74 of Karnangeri village of Madikeri city outskirts , a total of 38 acres of hill area has been excavated and levelled. Along with this, hundreds of trees have also been cut down and made invisible. This has brought the fear of landslides among the people.

‘This is a private land, about 10 years ago, more than 80 acres of land had been sold by local people to Andhra-based businessmen. Apparao, Subbayamma and Venkateswara Ravi Reddy are the owners of this hill. In this 38 acre area, the hill is being leveled using JCB. Also, the owner of the land, which claims to be a private land, has destroyed hundreds of trees in the land. Apart from that, the permission of the Forest department has not been obtained for the cutting of these trees’ people in the know said.

In this background, Forest department officials visited the spot on Monday and registered a case against the owner of the land. Responding to this, DCF A T Poovaiah said his staff has inspected the spot. About 80 to 100 trees were reportedly destroyed. So a case has been registered against the owner of the land and action will be taken, he said.

Terrible floods and landslides occurred in Kodagu district in 2018 and 2019. Scientists have warned that one of the reasons for this disaster is excessive human intervention on nature. However, amid this warning, there is a continuous attack on nature in the district.