Team Mangalorean

Chikmagalur: With an intention to add beauty and glamour to the City of Chikmagalur, the forest depaartment had opened ' Pavithra Vana'  in the year 1986-87. Today, with the sheer negligence of the forest department, this garden is just become a nuisance of immoral happenings, instead of a place to enjoy the evenings amidst greenery and nature.  When poachers hunt animals here for fun, alcoholics are found doped in alcohol.

Meanwhile, even waste from meat stalls, hotels, garbage, plastic is dumped in the vana. When one arrives to the city through Kadur road, they are welcomed with a strong stench emanating from the ' vana '. Seems like, the 'Pavithra Vana' which was meant to be a sacred forest, is not so clean and ' pavithra' anymore.

One can get a beautiful view of the hills and nature from this forest. This forest was a famous spot and the shooting of the famous duet 'Bandhalu bandhalu Kanchana..." by Shankar Nag and Bhavya for film Sangliyana was shot here.  Pavitra Vana which has Churchaguda forest and Kalasapura mountain range is home to leopards, deer, peacocks, wild sheep and other animals. Sandalwood trees which are naturally grown here are stolen by tree smugglers, even poaching is also common. Today, the garden which was supposed to attract tourists has become a black spot.