<p>Mysuru: With just 10 days left for the Maha Shivaratri Jatra Mahotsava at Male Mahadeshwara Hills temple, the Forest department, along with the MM Hill Temple Authority, have taken all measures, to impose a strict ban on single-use plastic in the region.</p><p>The MM Hill Temple Authority is all set for the annual Shivaratri celebrations, scheduled for February 26. In addition to providing basic amenities like drinking water, the authority has taken measures to impose a ban on single-use plastics, atop the hill and the region, this year.</p><p>The Karnataka wildlife division declared MM Hills as a plastic-free zone in 2017 itself. However, the use of plastic items, like disposable plastic cups, plates and glasses continued, with lakhs of people visiting the hill shrine, especially during jatras and other festivals. </p><p>According to MM Hill Temple Authority Secretary A E Raghu, the authority is committed to make it a plastic-free shrine this year. From February 15, the authorities are keeping a strict eye on the devotees visiting the hill, ensuring that they do not carry any plastic items, including water bottles.</p>.Death cases due to drowning increase at high-risk tourist spots in Mandya district.<p>They have issued strict instructions to shopkeepers not to sell single-use plastic items. For the first time violation, the plastic items in the shop would be seized and a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed. Their tenders would be cancelled, if they are found to continue the violation.</p><p>The lodges, hotels and restaurants too have been instructed not to use single-use plastic materials. Checkposts would be tightened and the Forest department will check all vehicles, to prevent the entry of plastic items to the pilgrim centre.</p><p>During the recent raid, more than 1,000 plastic water bottles, five kg plastic covers, three bundles of beedis, four packets of cigarettes, tobacco products and others have been seized from the shops on MM Hills and at Talabetta. </p><p>The agencies that had stored water bottles have been instructed to return them. If anyone is found using plastic, he or she will be fined and the tender cancelled, he said.</p>.<p><strong>Water tanks</strong></p><p>Since steps are being taken to prevent the devotees from carrying water bottles and also there is a ban on the shops to sell them, the authorities have made all arrangements to install water tanks from Talabetta to the hill temple, to provide drinking water to the devotees, especially for those taking out padayatra. A pure drinking water unit will be opened at Rangaswamy Oddu, a hillock, to ensure that there is no shortage of drinking water.</p><p><strong>No Padayatra during night</strong></p><p>The Forest department has restricted the devotees from taking out a padayatra to the MM Hills, as part of Maha Shivaratri from 6 pm to 6 am, as a safety measure, due to frequent sighting of wild animals in the forest area.</p>
<p>Mysuru: With just 10 days left for the Maha Shivaratri Jatra Mahotsava at Male Mahadeshwara Hills temple, the Forest department, along with the MM Hill Temple Authority, have taken all measures, to impose a strict ban on single-use plastic in the region.</p><p>The MM Hill Temple Authority is all set for the annual Shivaratri celebrations, scheduled for February 26. In addition to providing basic amenities like drinking water, the authority has taken measures to impose a ban on single-use plastics, atop the hill and the region, this year.</p><p>The Karnataka wildlife division declared MM Hills as a plastic-free zone in 2017 itself. However, the use of plastic items, like disposable plastic cups, plates and glasses continued, with lakhs of people visiting the hill shrine, especially during jatras and other festivals. </p><p>According to MM Hill Temple Authority Secretary A E Raghu, the authority is committed to make it a plastic-free shrine this year. From February 15, the authorities are keeping a strict eye on the devotees visiting the hill, ensuring that they do not carry any plastic items, including water bottles.</p>.Death cases due to drowning increase at high-risk tourist spots in Mandya district.<p>They have issued strict instructions to shopkeepers not to sell single-use plastic items. For the first time violation, the plastic items in the shop would be seized and a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed. Their tenders would be cancelled, if they are found to continue the violation.</p><p>The lodges, hotels and restaurants too have been instructed not to use single-use plastic materials. Checkposts would be tightened and the Forest department will check all vehicles, to prevent the entry of plastic items to the pilgrim centre.</p><p>During the recent raid, more than 1,000 plastic water bottles, five kg plastic covers, three bundles of beedis, four packets of cigarettes, tobacco products and others have been seized from the shops on MM Hills and at Talabetta. </p><p>The agencies that had stored water bottles have been instructed to return them. If anyone is found using plastic, he or she will be fined and the tender cancelled, he said.</p>.<p><strong>Water tanks</strong></p><p>Since steps are being taken to prevent the devotees from carrying water bottles and also there is a ban on the shops to sell them, the authorities have made all arrangements to install water tanks from Talabetta to the hill temple, to provide drinking water to the devotees, especially for those taking out padayatra. A pure drinking water unit will be opened at Rangaswamy Oddu, a hillock, to ensure that there is no shortage of drinking water.</p><p><strong>No Padayatra during night</strong></p><p>The Forest department has restricted the devotees from taking out a padayatra to the MM Hills, as part of Maha Shivaratri from 6 pm to 6 am, as a safety measure, due to frequent sighting of wild animals in the forest area.</p>