Locals oppose commercial activities near Igguthappa temple

Madikeri: Villagers and various organisations on Saturday opposed commercial activities in Malma, where the Padi Sri Igguthappa temple is located.At a meeting held at the foothills of Malma, residents warned that they would launch a padayatra from Malma Hill to Madikeri if any commercial construction is taken up in the area.

They also decided to form an agitation committee to prevent such activities in the future.A special gram sabha was convened at the Ballamavati gram panchayat hall, where the issue of commercial use of land purchased by private individuals was discussed. Villagers expressed concern over the religious significance of the site, while environmentalists opposed the move, stating that it would lead to ecological degradation. A petition opposing commercial use of the land has also been submitted, they said.The meeting adopted a resolution not to allow any kind of commercial activity at the site. The meeting was attended by the PDO of Ballamavati gram panchayat and officials from the mines and geology department.