Mandya: A Senior Police Officer’s report that rampant and uncontrolled mining-cum-stone quarrying activities at Baby Betta Reserve Forests in Pandavapura Taluk here is posing great danger to Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) has raised safety concerns of the Dam itself.

The Dam, built by Sir M. Visvesvaraya and the gift of Mysore Wadiyars, is a lifeline of Mandya without which the district, along with Tamil Nadu would have been a desolate place.

KRS and Baby Betta in Pandavapura Taluk have many geographical similarities as the KRS itself stands on the Baby Betta rock that is spread far and wide. What has caused concern now is that Baby Betta has been a victim of illegal mining and stone quarrying since years.

The report on the safety of KRS has been submitted by Srirangapatna Sub-Division Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy.SP) Vishwanath following a directive from the then Mandya Superintendent of Police (SP) G. Radhika. The SP had ordered an investigation following a complaint by Mandya-based RTI activist K.R. Ravindra, who had alleged that some influential persons and their henchmen were carrying out illegal mining and quarrying at Baby Betta and Amrutha Mahal Kaval.

High-intensity explosives

In his report, Vishwanath has emphasised the need for banning or controlling illegal stone quarrying, keeping in mind the safety of KRS. He stated that several stone quarrying units were operating illegally at Chinakurali, Baby Betta Kavalu, Amrutha Mahal Kaval, Honaganahalli, Bastipura, Beechanakuppe, Avverahalli and Bannangadi.

The quarries use high-intensity explosives to break the rocks and this has been causing the earth to shake due to impact, the report stated. These quarries are operating illegally in the reserve forests without even paying the mandatory taxes and royalty to the State government, causing a huge loss to the exchequer, the Police report added.

“These villages are within a radius of 4-7 kms of the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam and stand on the same rocky platform as the Reservoir. Instructions must be given to prevent illegal stone quarrying. These quarries are carrying out day-to-day unscientific blasting of stones and as a result, several houses have been witnessing cracks and damages in walls,” the Police report said.

“Also, as the mining area, the KRS and the villages stand on the single rock platform, the safety of the Dam itself is at stake,” the report that has been submitted to the then Mandya SP G. Radhika in July stated.

Mandya DC recommends mining ban

Meanwhile, Mandya Deputy Commissioner (DC) N. Manjushree has recommended to the State government to ban all mining activities near Baby Betta area. She has recommended a permanent ban on all mining activities within 5-km radius of the reserve forest.

However, the government is yet to approve and implement the recommendations considering the fact that an influential politician from Mandya and his relatives are involved in mining activities. Even the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is already probing cases pertaining to illegal stone quarrying.

Will hold meeting with DC soon, says Mandya SP

Speaking to Star of Mysore on the Police report on illegal stone quarrying, Mandya SP Shivaprakash Devaraj said that he had taken charge recently and the report had come to his notice on Sept. 17.

“Vishwanath has submitted a report that takes inputs from many existing reports, complaints and cases. This is not a new report. I have sent the report to the Mandya DC and the District Geologist. Very soon, we will hold a meeting to discuss the report. We will have to examine the facts of the report and then act on it,” he said.  

Private property owned by Wadiyars

The 1,500-odd acres of Baby Betta land belongs to the Mysore Wadiyar family. The member of the royal family Pramoda Devi Wadiyar had written to the State government last year to issue Khatha in her name as the land was a private property.

According to Pramoda Devi, the Khatha has to be issued in respect of Survey Number 1, Amrutha Mahal Kaval (Baby Betta). The RTC pertaining to Baby Betta stands in the name of Amrutha Mahal Kaval that belongs to the Maharajas and the property forms the part of the list of private properties of the Maharaja as on 26.1.1950.  As per records, the Amrutha Mahal Kaval land comprises 1,623 acres. Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar (Pramoda Devi’s late father-in-law) had many private properties in his possession and the Amrutha Mahal in Mandya was also one of them. After an amendment to the Indian Constitution in 1971, the special powers enjoyed by the royal family were withdrawn. However, the rights to enjoy their private properties remained.

After the demise of her husband Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar in 2013, Pramoda Devi is managing all the properties and hence according to her, Baby Betta should be transferred to her name.