By Shivakumar G Malagi
Bellary, Feb 11/2010: What could be more telling than this about the high flying lifestyle of miners in iron ore rich Bellary? A temple in the town has put up `No Parking' signs on its grounds exclusively for helicopters and aircrafts.
The Sri Kumaraswamy temple in Nandihalli, some 12 km from the mining town of Sandur, has put up a sign saying "Landing of helicopters, aircraft not allowed."
Temple priest Suryanarayan Bhat says the board was erected in 2005 after mining baron turned Rajya Sabha MP Anil Lad landed in his newly bought Bell helicopter on the grounds of the temple to perform a pooja.
"The landing of the chopper with no sanction from the authorities angered temple trustee M.Y. Ghorpade, who ordered a ban on all aircraft arriving here," he said.
The signboard comes as no surprise to the people of Bellary, accustomed to seeing choppers landing in the backyards of palatial homes, farmhouses, resorts and even on rooftops of houses of rich mining barons.
A recent survey reported that around 17 private choppers and eight aircraft fly over Bellary everyday.
The district accounts for almost 10 per cent of the market for private flying machines.
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