The high court on Wednesday dismissed a PIL alleging irregularities in the setting up of Parashurama theme park at Umikal Hill in Yerlapady village, Karkala taluk, Udupi district.
The petition was filed by Sriram Sene leader Pramod Muthalik and social activist S Bhaskaran.
The petition alleged that the project was being implemented without permission from the departments concerned, that too on gomala land meant for grazing cattle.
It claimed that the Parashurama idol erected at the theme park was of sub-standard quality. The petition stated that the entire amount of expenditure for the theme park was Rs 8.71 crore.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit posed questions to the counsel appearing for the petitioner on specificities with regard to the allegations. The bench at one point in time expressed doubt about whether the petition was a remote-controlled PIL. The bench said that no villager had approached the court while the petitioners were not from the village concerned.
“Do you have any cattle? One of the petitioners is from Bengaluru and another is from North Karnataka. This court has already decided that those who do not have cows and cattle cannot question the diminishing of grazing land," the bench orally observed in regard to the allegation that gomala land is being utilised for the theme park.
Published 11 October 2023, 23:32 IST