The district administration has taken measures to curb illegal homestays and lodges in Biligirirangana Betta (BR Hills). Notices have been issued to owners of five such facilities and documents have been sought.

Yelandhur tahsildar Sudarshan stated that tourists book these homestays online. We have sought land conversion records from the owners and permission taken from the district administration for their commercial activities.    

The sanctuary BR Hills, abundant with wildlife including tigers, elephants and other species attracts thousands of tourists every year. The rich biodiversity of the hilly region in Chamarajanagar district which is 170km from Bengaluru is under threat due to mushrooming of illegal homestay and lodges most of which have come up without obtaining permission from the concerned authorities.

One of the resident stated that ‘’the hilly terrain which was once visited only by devotees to pray at the temple is slowly turning into a tourist hotpot. To lure tourists, many homestays and other accommodations have come up on revenue lands and farmlands without permission and they charge around INR 3000 per day’’.

The deputy commissioner issued orders to close two such illegal homestays atop the hills a few days ago.

The revenue and forest departments have launched a joint survey to identify illegal structure in the eco-sensitive region.

Due to pandemic homestays had closed for a few months but since the lockdown restrictions were lifted tourist began to flock at homestays in the region.

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