Agumbe can't stand this resort

Shivamogga: People of Agumbe and surrounding villages of  Tirthahalli taluk staged a protest before the deputy commissioner's office here on Tuesday, urging the district administration to put a stop to the construction of a resort near the wildlife sanctuary and  protect the flora and fauna of the region.

The agitating villagers claimed a businessman was building a resort and swimming pool in survey number 262 of Tallur village near Agumbe, Tirthahalli taluk in violation of the law.

Although he had been given permission only to build a farmhouse on 16 guntas, he was building a resort on seven acres of land in violation of  the norms, they alleged.

Also objecting to  a dam being built across the river Malapa, that was their lifeline, to divert the flow of water to the resort and its swimming pool, they accusing the taluk administration and forest officials of doing nothing to stop its construction despite being aware that it was coming up in a one kilometer radius of the  wildlife sanctuary and  close to a government school.

"We urge the district administration to take action and stop the construction of the resort at the earliest," the villagers demanded in a memorandum to the  deputy commissioner.