Campaign against Cauvery statue, Disneyland at KRS

The state government’s proposal to develop the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam on the lines of Disneyland in the United States, and installation of Cauvery statue, has evoked severe opposition from several people’s organisations in the region.

Jhatkaa, an organisation, has launched an online campaign ‘Karnataka doesn’t need a statue: Say no to Cauvery statue’. As many as 5,845 people have already signed the petition addressed to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

The online petition has urged the chief minister to drop the plan to construct Cauvery statue. The petition further stated that the stakeholders must be consulted before developing the amusement park on the dam site. The campaign claimed that the residents of Bengaluru and farmers of the region would face severe water crises if the project is implemented.

“In the recent past, Bengaluru has faced a severe water crisis, and the experts opined that the state capital will face ‘Day Zero’ in future. Cauvery River is a lifeline of the old Mysuru region. Cauvery water should not be wasted to build ecologically unsustainable and expensive structures,” according to the petition stated.

The construction of the proposed Rs 1,200 crore Disnelyland-like park on 400 acres of the ecologically fragile lands, around the dam, will affect the ecology. Currently, construction activities around the dam are banned. Also, there is a request to restrict visitors to the KRS dam.

The petition states that the engineers have advised that blasting is inevitable for foundation laying for the 125-ft high statue and making a deep excavation near the KRS dam, will endanger the dam structure. The unsustainable and potential damages from blasting the site for statue construction needs careful hydrological and geological investigations. In addition, environmental impact assessment and social impact assessment need to be conducted, the petition stated.

Mass movement planned

Dalit Sangharsha Samiti on Thursday took a dig at Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-Congress coalition government over the proposed Disneyland-like project at KRS, terming it a ploy to loot money for the upcoming general eletions, reports DHNS from Mandya.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, DSS state convenor Keragodu Guruprasad said, “Disneyland is not a development programme. The coalition government is out to implement it to make a fortune out of it in view of the general elections. Hence, a mass movement will be launched soon against the proposed statue and amusement park at KRS,” he said.

“The place identified for the project is a sensitive zone with a forest and reservoir. The chief minister is issuing immature statements that he will contact technical experts from other countries to seek information about the feasibility of the project, after announcing the project,” Guruprasad said.

Cauvery Ulisi Janandolana Committee president G T Veerappa said, “If those opposing the new project are fools, let the chief minister explain to us: How did he announce the project without holding a study and collecting necessary information from the projects? The project, if implemented, would render 4 tmcft of water waste. We are not against the project, but let them plan it on vacant lands near Shivanasamudra,” he suggested.