Mandya, 25 April

A blueprint for the Cauvery aarti programme would be ready within a week, with plans to start it this Dasara, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Friday.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting with elected representatives and officials, he said, 'We have formed a committee, led by Minister Chaluvaraya Swamy, to work out the modalities. This will prepare the blueprint in the next 8-10 days.'

'The committee includes members from Chescom, the Tourism department, the Muzrai department, two DCs, two local MLAs, MLCs, Zilla Panchayat CEOs, and BWSSB members,' he added.

Cauvery Aarti (Puja) is part of the Karnataka government's efforts to promote water conservation. The dates have not been announced yet.

The State government has decided to allocate Rs 92 crore for the Cauvery aarti, with contributions from other departments as well.

'We are creating seating for about 10,000 people. The committee will decide how many days the aarti will be held,' he said.

The government has already called for tenders to upgrade Brindavan Gardens at the KRS (Krishna Raja Sagara Dam).

'We’ve also decided to form a Planning Authority with four panchayats,' he added.

Shivakumar said that seven firms have come forward to develop Brindavan Gardens.

Responding to a question about the launch, he said, 'I’m keen to launch it this Dasara, and we’ve formed a committee to prepare the blueprint.'

About the location, he said, 'We’ve inspected potential sites... The location must be close to water, with sufficient space for parking, seating, and accommodations for artists. Boating will also be included.'

'There will be both paid and free entry options. We can’t deny entry to poor people, and there will be an option for the public to offer prayers.'

On allegations that the aarti could harm the KRS dam, he said, 'We will discuss this with the organisations opposing it. They may have doubts, and we’ll address them.'