Gangamoola
Encyclopedia
Gangamoola is a hill in the Chikkamagaluru district of the state of Karnataka
, India
. Also known as Varaha Parvata, it is one among the hills in the Western Ghats
range and is known for being the source of three rivers, Tunga
, Bhadra
and Netravathi.
. Having an altitude of 1458 meters above sea level, the hill is within the boundaries of the Kudremukh National Park. The hill is thickly forested and receives an annual rainfall of 575 cm. The area in the vicinity of the hill is rich in magnetite
-quartzite
deposits which yield iron ore.
bio-diversity sub-cluster of Western Ghats which has been nominated to receive the designation of a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO
. A survey conducted by the ornithologist Davidar in 1980 recorded 107 species of birds in the Kudremukh-Aroli-Gangamoola tract. The presence of a large number of bird species is due to trees like Myristica dactyloides
that are favoured by birds.
Gangamoola is the origin of three rivers, Tunga, Bhadra and Netravathi.
Tunga
From its origin, the Tunga flows in a north-easterly direction passing the towns of Sringeri, Thirthahalli
and Shimoga. A dam has been constructed across it at Gajanur. After covering a total distance of 147 km., it joins the Bhadra at Koodli
near Shimoga and forms the Tungabhadra river.
Bhadra
From its origin, the Bhadra river first flows east and then north-east passing the town of Bhadravathi. After travelling a distance of 178 km., it joins the Tunga at Koodli.
Netravathi
From its origin, the Netravathi flows west, passing the towns of Dharmasthala
and Mangalore
before joining the Arabian Sea
.
gave a ruling that the company should stop its mining operations and in accordance with that, the mining was stopped on Dec 31, 2005.
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Also known as Varaha Parvata, it is one among the hills in the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
range and is known for being the source of three rivers, Tunga
Tunga River
The Tunga River is a river in Karnataka state, southern India. The river is born in the Western Ghats on a hill known as Varaha Parvata at a place called Gangamoola. From here, the river flows through two districts in Karnataka - Chikmagalur District and Shimoga District. It is 147 km long and...
, Bhadra
Bhadra River
The Bhadra River is a river in Karnataka state in southern India.The Bhadra originates at Gangamoola near Kudremukha, Western Ghats range, and flows east across the southern part of Deccan Plateau, joined by its tributaries the Somavahini near Hebbe, Thadabehalla, and Odirayanahalla. It flows...
and Netravathi.
Geography
Gangamoola is a part of the Gangamoola-Aroli-Gangrikal range of Western GhatsWestern Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
. Having an altitude of 1458 meters above sea level, the hill is within the boundaries of the Kudremukh National Park. The hill is thickly forested and receives an annual rainfall of 575 cm. The area in the vicinity of the hill is rich in magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
-quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
deposits which yield iron ore.
Bio-diversity
Gangamoola is a part of the KudremukhKudremukh
Kudremukh also spelled Kuduremukha is a mountain range in Chikkamagaluru district, in Karnataka, India. It is also the name of a small hill station town situated near the mountain, about 48 kilometers from Karkala and about 20 kilometers from Kalasa...
bio-diversity sub-cluster of Western Ghats which has been nominated to receive the designation of a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. A survey conducted by the ornithologist Davidar in 1980 recorded 107 species of birds in the Kudremukh-Aroli-Gangamoola tract. The presence of a large number of bird species is due to trees like Myristica dactyloides
Myristica dactyloides
Myristica dactyloides is a species of plant in the Myristicaceae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
that are favoured by birds.
Origin of rivers
Tunga
From its origin, the Tunga flows in a north-easterly direction passing the towns of Sringeri, Thirthahalli
Thirthahalli
Thirthahalli is a panchayat town located in the Shimoga District of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district.- Etymology :...
and Shimoga. A dam has been constructed across it at Gajanur. After covering a total distance of 147 km., it joins the Bhadra at Koodli
Koodli
Koodli is a small town in Shimoga District, in the Indian state of Karnataka.Koodli is the place where two rivers, the Tunga River and Bhadra River, meet to give rise to the Tungabhadra River.- Significance :...
near Shimoga and forms the Tungabhadra river.
Bhadra
From its origin, the Bhadra river first flows east and then north-east passing the town of Bhadravathi. After travelling a distance of 178 km., it joins the Tunga at Koodli.
Netravathi
From its origin, the Netravathi flows west, passing the towns of Dharmasthala
Dharmasthala
Dharmasthala is a temple village on the banks of the Nethravathi River in the Belthangadi taluk of the Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka....
and Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
before joining the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
.
Iron ore mining
Iron ore was being mined in this area by the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company limited (KIOCL) despite the area being part of a National park. Environmentalists raised concerns about this, since they felt that the mining was disturbing the sensitive ecological balance in the region and also polluting the rivers, mainly the river Bhadra. The Supreme Court of IndiaSupreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
gave a ruling that the company should stop its mining operations and in accordance with that, the mining was stopped on Dec 31, 2005.