Mysuru-Madikeri four-lane road opposed.

Highlighting the irreversible damage to the ecologically fragile region of the Western Ghats that the proposed four-lane route between Mysuru and Madikeri could cause, chief of the Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya SR Hiremath recently said, “Mysuru citizens and many environmentalists have been vocal in their opposition to the project.”

The Brahmagiri and Pushpagiri forest ranges have been declared ‘World Heritage Rain Forest’, and this proposed road threatens the rich biodiversity of the region, he said. “Worse still, it will pollute the Cauvery basin, and destroy the world famous Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary,” Hiremath rued.

The activist alleged the involvement of vested interests, who had exerted pressure on the central government to issue a gazette notification for this alternative route. “The central government must take cognisance of the consequences of this project, and withdraw it,” Hiremath said.

He also denounced the nomination of Justice Ranjan Gogoi, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to the Rajya Sabha.

TOI