Wed May 07 15:46:15 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka’s Proposed Lavish Cauvery Aarti Sparks Outrage
**Mysore, Karnataka – May 7, 2025** – The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) in Mysore has strongly criticized the Karnataka state government’s plan to organize a Cauvery Aarti ceremony at a cost of nearly ₹100 crore. The organization argues that the proposed expenditure is excessive and contradicts the recommendations of the Department of Finance.
PUCL contends that existing traditional offerings to the river, such as the ‘Baagina’ ceremony and the Threethotbava rites, suffice as religious observances. Instead of the extravagant Aarti, PUCL president Kamal Gopinath and vice-president V. Purushotam suggest allocating the funds towards addressing the severe pollution plaguing the Cauvery River.
The river is heavily contaminated by agricultural runoff, industrial effluents, and chemical waste from coffee plantations in Kodagu. The PUCL also highlights the neglect of the Lakshmanthreetha tributary, polluted by tobacco industry waste in Hunsur.
The organization urges the government to prioritize environmental restoration, including curbing real estate development that impacts natural water flow and reviving degraded lakes and water bodies within the Cauvery basin. They argue that these crucial environmental initiatives are far more important than a costly religious ceremony.
First Piper 