Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh has decided to stand by the farmers of Pandavapura and Srirangapatna taluks, who have strongly opposed the move by the district administration to conduct trial blasts in the vicinity of KRS reservoir.
Ms. Sumalatha, who was in Mandya to participate in a meeting of District Development Co-ordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) on Friday, told reporters that she had already informed the Mandya district administration about the strong opposition to the proposed trial blasts in the vicinity of KRS reservoir. “I have to be with the farmers. Their cause is just,” she said.
Pointing out that illegal quarrying had brought about a lot of ruin in the region, she said the trial blasts will be a setback to the struggle of the farmers against the illegal mining in the region.
The Mandya district administration recently held a meeting to conduct experimental blasts in the vicinity of the reservoir as part of a study to conduct the impact of quarrying activities on the reservoir.
The Karnataka High Court, in January, had banned all mining activities within a radius of 20 km from the KRS reservoir till an expert team studies the impact of quarrying or mining on the dam.
Responding to a question, Ms. Sumalatha said the High Court had directed the Mandya district administration to conduct the study within a specified time limit and the trial blasts will have to be conducted as part of the study.
Farmers to move court
Pointing out that the Mandya district administration cannot go appeal against the High Court ruling on the study, Ms. Sumalatha said the farmers have decided to approach the court seeking a stay on the proposed trial blasts
The farmers’ organization is expected to move the court shortly against the trial blasts.
It may be mentioned here that the issue of trial blasts has been opposed by the farmers on earlier occasions also. Demonstrations against the trial blasts had been held under the ‘Save KRS’ campaign in Srirangapatna and Pandavapura taluks of Mandya district a few years ago.
A team of scientists from Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) from Dhanbad In Jharkhand was scheduled to conduct a trial blasts during July 2022. But their visit was cancelled owing to strong protests by the farmers’ organisations including Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS).
DISHA meeting
Speaking to reporters at the DISHA meeting, Ms. Sumalatha said the meeting was to review the implementation of subjects discussed at DISHA meetings during the last five years.
She recalled that she had raised the issue of illegal abortions and foeticide about four years ago as well as during a meeting held in November last year. Regretting that no action was taken on the matter, Ms. Sumalatha said the racket of illegal abortions that was uncovered recently would not have taken place at all had the district administration acted upon the matter.
