VIJAYANAGARA/KOPPAL: The Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWAMA) has sealed 53 named and unnamed resorts and other establishments operating illegally within the Hampi World Heritage core zone.
The commissioner of HWAMA and assistant commissioner Koppal, Gangavati Tahsildar, and other authorities told the owners to shut resorts within 24 hours.
The authority had identified 53 illegal establishments last month, of which 49 are named resorts.
The HWAMA vice-chairman and Koppal deputy commissioner ordered the HWAMA commissioner at Hosapete to empty the illegal resorts within 48 hours.
The authority had demolished 19 illegal resorts at Virupapur Gaddi on March 3, 2020, after the Supreme Court order.
Lakhs of domestic and international tourists visit Hampi every year.
Many local people set up resorts and hotels on their farmland to attract the tourists in violation of the Supreme Court’s directions because the master plan is yet to be finalised on the core zone of the world heritage site.
“The north side of the Tungabhadra river in Gangavati taluk has 15 villages within the core zone and we have shut illegal resorts, hotels, and stopped commercial activities. The owners have appealed for time to vacate, so we sealed all the commercial establishments and submitted the report,” said In Nagaraj, the Gangavati tahsildar.
He said the illegal resorts and hotels operated mostly in Anegundi, Ramadurga, Chikkarampur, Hanumanahalli, Sanapur, Virupapur Gaddi. “We will demolish all these establishments if the owners don’t vacate them,” he said.
When contacted, Siddarameshwar Hiremath, the commissioner of HWAMA, said there was no provision for commercial activities within the core zone of the world heritage site spread across 41.8 square km. “We have warned frequently not to operate such illegal activities, but they didn’t follow our instructions. Finally, we have sealed all illegal resorts and hotels,” he said.
The commissioner of HWAMA and assistant commissioner Koppal, Gangavati Tahsildar, and other authorities told the owners to shut resorts within 24 hours.
The authority had identified 53 illegal establishments last month, of which 49 are named resorts.
The HWAMA vice-chairman and Koppal deputy commissioner ordered the HWAMA commissioner at Hosapete to empty the illegal resorts within 48 hours.
The authority had demolished 19 illegal resorts at Virupapur Gaddi on March 3, 2020, after the Supreme Court order.
Lakhs of domestic and international tourists visit Hampi every year.
Many local people set up resorts and hotels on their farmland to attract the tourists in violation of the Supreme Court’s directions because the master plan is yet to be finalised on the core zone of the world heritage site.
“The north side of the Tungabhadra river in Gangavati taluk has 15 villages within the core zone and we have shut illegal resorts, hotels, and stopped commercial activities. The owners have appealed for time to vacate, so we sealed all the commercial establishments and submitted the report,” said In Nagaraj, the Gangavati tahsildar.
He said the illegal resorts and hotels operated mostly in Anegundi, Ramadurga, Chikkarampur, Hanumanahalli, Sanapur, Virupapur Gaddi. “We will demolish all these establishments if the owners don’t vacate them,” he said.
When contacted, Siddarameshwar Hiremath, the commissioner of HWAMA, said there was no provision for commercial activities within the core zone of the world heritage site spread across 41.8 square km. “We have warned frequently not to operate such illegal activities, but they didn’t follow our instructions. Finally, we have sealed all illegal resorts and hotels,” he said.
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