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January 25, 2019

CWPRS team in district to conduct trial blast near KRS JAN 24 2019, 22:09PM IST

A team of scientists from the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, are in the
district to conduct a trial blast to study the impact of stone quarrying on Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam,
in Srirangapatna taluk.
The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) had submitted a report, warning
that unabated mining in villages around KRS would aect the dam.
The district administration had imposed a temporary ban on mining in a radius of 20 km around the
dam.


As various organisations urged the government to conduct a study, by a competent organisation, the
CWPRS was requested to conduct a trial.
The team arrived in the district on Thursday and will conduct a trial blast on the North side of the
dam, for five days from Friday.
The district administration has issued a press release, restricting movement of people and vehicles
near the dam during the test.
Complaint
Meanwhile, RTI activist K R Ravindra lodged a complaint with the Forest department against district
administration, saying that the test explosion should be conducted only aer getting necessary
permission from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The blast should not
be allowed to be conduct in sensitive zones in the forest and near the bird sanctuary, he said.
Suspicion over order
He has raised suspicion over the order for another study while a government organisation has already
given a report that mining activity will aect the dam.
The miners too have conducted an independent study by a private agency and have got a report that
there is no danger to the dam. Succumbing to the pressure of the mining barons, the Deputy
Commissioner has given permission to conduct a test.
The study should be conducted under the supervision of the Union Ministry of Environment and
Forest, he stressed.
However, DC N Manjushri said, “The district administration has given permission for the study in the
interest
https://www.deccanherald.com/cwprs-team-district-conduct-714751.html