Natural cave unearthed

The forest officials have recently unearthed a natural cave inisde the thick forest, in Kodagu district.  

The cave is situated near Anderson stream inside thick forest at Vatekoli, which is 15 kms from Virajpet- Makutta road. The cave is 60 metre long and two metres in height.  According to forest department officials, they have heard the sound of water inside the cave. “If there is water inside the cave, then it would be giving shelter to water creatures like fish, crab and so on. Realising the decrease in oxygen inside the cave, the officials did not make an attempt to move further inside the cave.”  

The bats will welcome anyone who enters the cave. Normally, snakes live in and around those areas where bats live, say officials.  Kodagu Circle Chief Conservator of Forest Deekshith said that the cave must have been formed by the flow of water through limestone and similar rocks. Water seeps into the pores and cracks of rocks and soil and bubbles beneath the earth above. Such caves are called as Solution caves.

The soil in the cave is a mixture of white and grey colour and is soft.  The roof of the cave is strong. “We could not see the cave fully. The cave will provide an opportunity for the geologists to make a study. I will inform the State government on the discovery of a cave. If the government sends an expert, we will get more details on the cave,” said an official.  It is said that the forest guards had discovered it a year ago. However, they had not informed it to the higher authorities.  After taking charge, Deekshith visited the spot. In fact, he has marked the route to the cave through GPS.