Will develop Harihar town like Varanasi: Basavaraj Bommai

DAVANAGERE: Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that the state would develop yoga mantapas as a top priority in Harihar town, which will then become like Varanasi.
Bommai was addressing a gathering in Harihar town after bhoomi puja for 108 yoga mantapas that will be built at a cost of Rs 30 crore on the bank of Tungabhadra river near Raghavendra Swamy mutt.The event was organised by the Veerashaiva Lingayata Panchamasali Guru Peetha, led by pontiff Sri Vachanananda Swamy who is said to be the brain behind the project.
Bommai said the seer wants to perform a Tungabhadra Aarati every day after the construction of the yoga mantapas on a par with Ganga Aarati in Varanasi and to turn the location as an important tourist destination as Harihar town is popularly known as Dakshina Kashi. The 108 yoga mantapas will be built on the stretch from the Raghavendra Swamy Mutt to Harihareshwara temple, the CM said.
“It is our top priority to conserve the water and protect it from pollution as water is important for life. The civilization and the culture have developed from the riverbanks and hence it is our responsibility to protect all the rivers of the state,” he said.
As Harihar town is under the ChennaiMumbai corridor, it will be developed as an industrial hub in the coming days, the chief minister said.
The Byrana paada lift irrigation scheme, a long-time demand of farmers of Harihar and Malebennur, will be taken up this year and Harihar taluk will come under the integrated irrigation project, Bommai said.