Mangaluru: Greens launch campaign against Kukke golden chariot project

Mangaluru: The famed Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple's plans to build a golden chariot has come under serious criticism by activists and environmentalists, who have begun an e-mail campaign asking the Chief Secretary to stop the project and instead clean up the Kumaradhara river, the Kumaraparvatha mountain range and other rivers of the region.

The Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, which tops in revenue collection among the Muzrai temples of the state, has received the state government's approval to build the golden chariot, which will cost it about Rs 77 crore. But with the Yuva Brigade of Kukke finding large amounts of garbage dumped in the River Kumaradhara and untreated sewage entering the river during its recent drive to clean it, the environmentalists believe the government must pay more attention to these issues instead.

“We have started an e-mail and letter campaign asking the Chief Secretary to stop the plans for the golden chariot. We do not want our money to be used to fulfill the vows of politicians. Our money will later be used for a gunman too to protect the chariot. Is there a need for such showing off? Religious places should provide peace of mind," said state secretary of the National Environment Care Federation, Shashidhar Shetty, adding, "Let the government spend the same amount to protect and clean the river Kumaradhara and other rivers of the region that provide water to thousands of people in Dakshina Kannada.”

But dismissing such arguments, the temple administration says it is doing both social and religious work. “The golden chariot is being built at the request of the devotees. But we are also doing other work like building toilets and crematoria and providing water supply to villages,” said temple managing committee president, Nityananda Mundodi.