While the government is going ahead with the construction of a large luxury resort atop Rushikonda in Vizag, environmentalists now question its necessity
It is to all Dutch, French and English sailors of the 17th and 18th centuries, who braved the high seas to reach the port cities of Vizagpatam and Bhimunipatam (as they were then called) in their sailing ships: yours. The ‘Sharkarloaf’ mountain may not look the same in the future, as the existing Haritha Resort on the hill has been demolished to pave the way for a larger luxury resort.
It may also have been good for the Romans, who came to Thotlakonda in oar-powered galley ships in the 2nd century BC to trade with Buddhist monks, or to exchange notes on various philosophies.
The ‘Sugarloaf’ mountain, or colloquially called Rushikonda, had earned prominence from Europeans because from the horizon away from the sea, the mountain looked like a loaf of sugar on a plateau.
symbol of identity
For centuries, the geographic feature, when viewed through binoculars, stood as a proud symbol of identity in the bay’s blue waters and sun-kissed golden sands.
This was the only symbol for the sailors of the bygone era that they were near the coast and the ports of Vizagpatam and Bhimunipatnam were close by.
The hill is strategically located between Dolphin’s Nose and Bheemunipatam. It is also a recognized ‘tri-station’ of the Geological Survey of India.
Once the resort is built, rooms will have spectacular views of the bay and guests can enjoy soft rays as the sun rises, but ‘Sugarloaf’ will never look the same again.
‘Legal Project’
The issues are facing criticism, and opposition parties are trying to get brownie points, but the state government has got CRZ clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to build the resort on a land measure. About 9.8 acres of land with a built up area of 19,968 square meters at a cost of 240 crores.
Tourism Minister M. Srinivasa Rao has already said that the existing old resort will be redeveloped as the capacity of Rushikonda has increased manifold after being certified as a ‘Blue Flag’ beach.
“It is a legal project and all permissions and clearances have been obtained. Primarily, it is for the development of tourism which will have an overall impact including employment generation,” he said.
But environmental and heritage concerns raise a question – is it necessary to build a resort on a hill that recognizes the culture and history of the area, especially when there is a lot of land available along the coast?
It is true that the aesthetic value of the resort doubles when it comes to the hill, but at what cost?
Some environmentalists said that the construction of the resort in 1984, when there were no CRZ rules, should have been avoided and the originality should have been retained.
historical link
There are many stories associated with the hill and it is revered by the local people.
Although there is no evidence to prove its mythological connection, many believe that the hill was named Rushikonda because the revered ‘Sapta Rishis’ (seven sages) performed penance on it.
“There is no evidence to confirm this, and it is a myth. But, at the foot of the hill, there is a Lord Shiva temple, which is about 150 years old,” said K. Suryanarayan, former head of the Department of History, Andhra University. said.
“The hill falls under the Thotlakonda, Bavikonda and Pavuralakonda Buddhist heritage circuits, and we cannot rule out that it does not have a Buddhist connection to the 2nd century, as no exploration, excavation or investigation has been done. name can also come up,” Prof. Suryanarayan said.
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