Fri Jun 27 17:20:38 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Karnataka High Court Demands Dam Safety Assessment for Proposed KRS Projects**

**Bengaluru, June 27, 2025** – The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to submit an affidavit detailing any technical assessments conducted regarding dam safety before approving the proposed Disneyland-type amusement park and Cauvery Aarti infrastructure projects near the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Mandya district.

The court’s order, issued by a Division Bench headed by acting Chief Justice V. Kameswar Rao and Justice C.M. Joshi, follows the hearing of two Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions filed by agriculturists concerned about the potential impact of the projects on the safety of the dam.

The petitions challenge both the tender issued for the amusement park, estimated at ₹2,663 crore under a public-private partnership, and the Water Resources Department’s in-principal approval for spending ₹92 crore on infrastructure for the Cauvery Aarti, a ceremony similar to the Ganga Aarti in Uttar Pradesh, expected to accommodate up to 25,000 people.

Petitioners argue that the safety of the KRS dam is being overlooked, highlighting a previous High Court ban on mining and quarrying activities within a 20-km radius of the dam, pending a study by experts and a decision by the Dam Safety Committee established under the Dam Safety Act, 2021.

While the State Advocate-General assured the court that dam safety was considered during project approvals, the court pressed for specific information on prior technical assessments. Government documents presented referenced only an old technical assessment report for the installation of a statue of the Cauvery, not for the other proposed construction works.

The government and the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL), the project’s implementing agency, have been directed to file affidavits addressing the court’s concerns. The tender for the amusement park is not yet complete, and a work order has yet to be issued for the statue installation. The case will continue as the court seeks assurance that the projects do not compromise the structural integrity of the vital KRS dam.

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