Pandavapura: With the Mandya District Administration going ahead with the preparations for trial blast at Bebi Betta, several farmer organisations staged  protests  for and against the blast near KRS Dam in Srirangapatna taluk  1on Wednesday.

Farmers  under the banner of KRRS led by Badagalapura Nagendra staged a protest against the  blast by blocking the road that runs at the front gate of the dam, while another group of farmers led by Ingalakuppe Krishnegowda staged a demonstration in front of the Irrigation Department office, demanding submission of the trial blast report to the High Court.

Adressing the protestors, Krishnegowda said that the High Court has directed the Mandya District Administration to conduct trial blast at Bebi Betta and submit a report on whether the safety and stability of KRS Dam is threatened by stone mining in its vicinity. Accordingly, the District Administration should conduct trial blast and submit accurate report with no scope for any ambiguity.

Farmer leaders Hemmige Chandrashekar, P.M. Ravigowda, Kemparaju, S. Nagarathna, Raghunath and others were present.

The group of farmers led by KRRS Mandya district President A.L. Kempugowda opposed the blast saying that stone mining will pose a threat to the safety and stability of KRS Dam which is the lifeline of farmers of Cauvery basin. Stating that the KRRS has been opposing the trial blast since the beginning, the protestors alleged that the officials were only favouring stone quarry owners, while completely ignoring the interests of the farmers and the safety of KRS Dam.  KRRS leaders H.L. Prakash, Priya Ramesh, Shambhugowda, Pandu, Jayaram, P.R. Ramesh, Prabhu, Vijikumar, Mahadev, Manju, Krishna,  Lingappaji, Ravindra and others were present.