Madikeri: Environmentalists staged a protest against a proposed villa project on the Bittangala–Balugodu road, citing environmental concerns.Addressing the protest, environmentalist Col CP Muthanna (retd) said that villa construction in the name of development was leading to environmental destruction. He said villas and large projects were being taken up across Kodagu without hindrance, causing environmental damage, and demanded legal action against departmental officials who had granted permission for such projects.Activist Rajiv Bopaiah said environmental destruction was contributing to climate change and called for an investigation into the gram panchayat and other departmental officials who approved the ongoing works.‘Save Kodagu’ member Padmini said that if environmental destruction continues and development leads to the creation of concrete cities, tourist arrivals would decline, affecting tourism-dependent livelihoods.Maletira Srinivas of the Appiko movement said the construction site is located near Brahmagiri Reserve Forest and Makutta forest area.
