A team of scientists began trial blasts on Monday to study the likely impact of blasts and mining activities on the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Srirangapatna taluk.
This came even as farmers and activists held a ‘go back’ protest against the team.
The scientists will conduct trial blasts at five places in Pandavapura and Srirangapatna taluks in the district till July 31.
A team of five scientists from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR-CIMFR) in Jharkhand will conduct the blasts in a radius of 20 km of the dam.
The scientists conducted spot inspections at Neelanakoppal in Srirangapatna taluk and Bebi Betta in Pandavapura taluk. The inspections were conducted amidst police security.
The protesters demanded that the scientists return without conducting the trial blasts.
The blasts must not be conducted when the dam has water up to its full reservoir level, they said.
Members of the Raitha Sangha, KRS Ulisi Janandolana Samiti and others took part in the protest.
Experts from the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority have already given a report against conducting mining activities in a radius of 20 km from the dam and have said that there is a need for another study.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks