Kodagu, the birthplace of the Cauvery river in Karnataka, is a district covered with vast stretches of greenery. It also receives more rain than other parts of the state. However this year, excess rain battered Kodagu, along with Kerala, with which it shares borders. When water levels went down, they revealed hundreds of plastic bottles scattered in the mud. The plastic, which will take years to decompose, shows the carelessness with which tourists and local residents casually toss away plastic bottles. The piles of plastic bottles are an environmental hazard in an area rich in biodiversity.