Date | Jan 11, 2017:

Shivamurthy Muruga Sharana of Bruhanmutt Chitradurga has written to Mines and Geology Minister Vinay Kulkarni and Chitradurga Deputy Commissioner Srirangaiah urging them to take steps to stop stone quarrying in areas surrounding the mutt as the blasting is hampering the work on the installation of a 325-ft statue of Lord Basaveshwara.

In the letter, the seer said that the Bruhanmutt had taken up the work to develop the spot as a tourism destination and propagate the principles of Lord Basaveshwara, the 12th century social reformer.

“The stone quarrying around the mutt is creating hurdles in the installation of the statue. Cracks have developed in buildings belonging to the mutt. Also, residents of villages such as Mathad Kurubarhatti and Kavadigarhatti are also facing problems as houses and other buildings have developed cracks there too,” he said.

Keeping this in view, the authorities should take steps to stop stone quarrying within a five-km radius of the mutt, the seer added.

(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)