Modi to unveil 112 ft. Shiva statue in Coimbatore today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Coimbatore,Tamil Nadu today, the evening of Mahashivaratri to inaugurate the colossal statue dedicated to “Adiyogi”, a form of Shiva.

The 112 ft. statue of Shiva has been funded by Isha Foundation, founded by the yoga guru, Jaggi Vasudev. According to reports, the statue weighs 500 tonnes and is made of steel. A report states that while it took 2.5 years for the team to design the statue, it was built in about eight months.The Yoga guru has also been awarded the Padma award this year.

Damage to environment

However environmental groups and tribal organisations have been opposing what they describe as “profound damage to a pristine ecology” in the foothills of the Western Ghats in Coimbatore. On Wednesday, former judge of the Madras High Court, Hari Paranthaman, alleged that the Isha Foundation was responsible for over 13 lakh sq feet of illegal constructions.

They have also alleged that permission was not taken for building the structure but this has been denied categorically by the Isha foundation which has also built many structures near Velliangiri hills in the Western Ghats in Coimbatore, the site of the foundation’s Isha Yoga Centre.

Street protests planned today

Tribal associations have planned street protests with black flags in Coimbatore today ahead of the PM’s visit. The whole exercise reminds people of the support Sri Sri received from the PM in Delhi last year to conduct the World Peace Forum,across the Yamuna banks, after openly flouting the National Green Tribunal.