<p>A team of scientists began trial blasts on Monday to study the likely impact of blasts and mining activities on the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Srirangapatna taluk.</p>.<p>This came even as farmers and activists held a ‘go back’ protest against the team.</p>.<p>The scientists will conduct trial blasts at five places in Pandavapura and Srirangapatna taluks in the district till July 31.</p>.<p>A team of five scientists from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR-CIMFR) in Jharkhand will conduct the blasts in a radius of 20 km of the dam.</p>.<p>The scientists conducted spot inspections at Neelanakoppal in Srirangapatna taluk and Bebi Betta in Pandavapura taluk. The inspections were conducted amidst police security.</p>.<p>The protesters demanded that the scientists return without conducting the trial blasts.</p>.<p>The blasts must not be conducted when the dam has water up to its full reservoir level, they said.</p>.<p>Members of the Raitha Sangha, KRS Ulisi Janandolana Samiti and others took part in the protest.</p>.<p>Experts from the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority have already given a report against conducting mining activities in a radius of 20 km from the dam and have said that there is a need for another study.</p>
<p>A team of scientists began trial blasts on Monday to study the likely impact of blasts and mining activities on the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Srirangapatna taluk.</p>.<p>This came even as farmers and activists held a ‘go back’ protest against the team.</p>.<p>The scientists will conduct trial blasts at five places in Pandavapura and Srirangapatna taluks in the district till July 31.</p>.<p>A team of five scientists from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR-CIMFR) in Jharkhand will conduct the blasts in a radius of 20 km of the dam.</p>.<p>The scientists conducted spot inspections at Neelanakoppal in Srirangapatna taluk and Bebi Betta in Pandavapura taluk. The inspections were conducted amidst police security.</p>.<p>The protesters demanded that the scientists return without conducting the trial blasts.</p>.<p>The blasts must not be conducted when the dam has water up to its full reservoir level, they said.</p>.<p>Members of the Raitha Sangha, KRS Ulisi Janandolana Samiti and others took part in the protest.</p>.<p>Experts from the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority have already given a report against conducting mining activities in a radius of 20 km from the dam and have said that there is a need for another study.</p>