Karnataka High Court Directs State To Ask IISc About Timeline Needed To Carry Out Study On Impact Of Blasting Near KRS Dam

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the state government to get instructions from the Indian Institute of Science as to in how much time they would carry out the scientific study to assess the impact of blasting within 20-kilometre radius of Krishnaraja Sagara dam, popularly known as KRS dam.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice V M Kameshwar Rao and Justice C M Joshi passed the order after the counsel for petitioners mentioned that even after the court order passed in January 2024, the scientific study is still not completed.

The government advocate sought time to seek instructions. Following which the court orally said “You should get written instructions from IIS what is the best time they need to complete the study.”

Granting three weeks time the court said “State would submit that Indian Institute of Science is undertaking the scientific study to assess the impact of blasting within radius of 20 km the matter be adjourned by three weeks, to get instruction from the Institute as to how much time they require to carry out the study and file a report.”

The court had by its order dated January 9, 2024 prohibited any form of quarrying and mining activity within a 20-kilometre radius of Krishnaraja Sagara dam, popularly known as KRS dam, till further orders by the court.

In its order the court had emphasized on the importance of Krishnaraja Sagara not only as a dam but for having a heritage and historical value attached to it, in being constructed by one of the greatest son of the country, Sir M. Visvesvaraya the Chief architect of the dam.

It further had said that the Court was constrained to pass orders to protect the dam from any activity endangering it since it was a result of the "visionary contribution of the then Maharaja of Mysore Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar and the project that is Krishnaraja Sagara being described in literary work as a creation of the blood and sweat of people of Karnataka."

The court in its order recorded that a scientific study would need to be conducted on the dam on an experimental basis, which may take six months or more.

It also rejected permission for carrying on mining activity in the dam till the study was conducted and permitted activities which would be carried out without blasting.

The directions were made in a plea filed by one C.G. Kumar, who wanted to carry out quarrying activities on his land and approached the court questioning the order of the Deputy Commissioner, Mandya District which imposed an 'additional condition' precedent for permitting the petitioner to convert the agricultural land for non-agricultural use.

The condition stipulated that the petitioner would be bound to obey the decision that may be taken by the competent authority on receipt of a trial blasting report conducted by the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama.

Case Title: C G Kumar AND State of Karnataka

Case No: WP 19835/2023