Madikeri: Environmentalists staged a protest at K Nidugane gram panchayat near Madikeri on Tuesday, opposing the proposed development of housing sites on a 94-acre tract of cleared land and demanding immediate afforestation to restore the area. More than 900 trees were felled seven years ago to make way for the housing project.The protest was led by Col Muthanna (Retd.) of the Save Kodagu and Cauvery Campaign. He alleged that the 94-acre land had been illegally converted for commercial use, a fact that came to light through a right to information (RTI) application. According to him, around 1,200 housing sites are being developed on the land.Claiming that the project was being promoted in the name of providing sites to the poor under a 60:40 scheme, Muthanna alleged that an Andhra Pradesh-based businessman had cheated people in the district.He further said that the proposed layout would threaten Kootu Hole, the primary water source for Madikeri. “Sewage generated from these residential sites will flow into Kootu Hole. We will not allow housing layouts to mushroon on this land,” he said.Prasanna Bhat, a member of Kodagu Development Committee, said the protest marked the beginning of a series of agitations planned to halt the project. He alleged that the Karnataka Housing Board had developed the project in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh-based businessman to provide sites for the poor, but that the plots were now being sold at Rs 1,050 per sq ft.Another protester alleged that K Nidugane gram panchayat had illegally processed e-Swathu and e-Khata registrations for more than 1,000 sites within a month.The protesters urged Madikeri MLA Mantar Gowda to intervene and stop the project immediately. They also demanded that the cleared land be afforested without delay.
