MANDYA: Even as the issue is before a court, preparations are under way for the Cauvery Aarti at the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Srirangapatna taluk. A trial run of the Cauvery Aarti was conducted at the Brindavan Gardens at KRS dam, with a team of 13 priests performing the aarti for 30 minutes in the presence of officials from the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam (CNNL) and the Endowment Department on Friday night.
Preparations for the Cauvery Aarti are in full swing, despite the matter being sub-judice, on the instructions of Deputy CM and Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar. The government has reportedly sanctioned ₹92.30 crore for the project, which includes building infrastructure to accommodate public gatherings and a Plaster of Paris idol of Goddess Cauvery has also been created at Brindavan Gardens.
Farmers’ groups and environmental activists have opposed the project, citing concerns over the dam’s structural integrity, potential ecological damage and disruption to agricultural practices in the Cauvery basin. They’ve also questioned the transparency of the decision-making process. A petition has been filed in the Karnataka High Court challenging the government’s decision to hold the Cauvery Aarti, modelled on the Ganga Aarti, at the KRS dam.
The court has issued a notice to the state government, seeking a response on the potential ecological and safety hazards posed by the initiative. The court’s decision on the matter is awaited, with many speculating about the potential impact on the project’s future.
The project had faced opposition earlier, leading to its temporary halt. The government had planned to launch the event by Dasara, but the court’s intervention has cast uncertainty over when the Cauvery Aarti will be held.
