Mysuru, 19 August

The State government on Wednesday has formed a sub-committee headed by a Zila Panchayat CEO to have Kambala during the Mysuru Dasara celebrations, despite criticism that the move could strain the limited water resources and that the traditional buffalo-racing event had no cultural relations to Dasara.

A slush track is being prepared at a proposed site at Sathagalli, near the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) Regional Centre along the Outer Ring Road, in east Mysuru. The government has deployed earthmovers and excavators to clear and level the land for the racing tracks.

Sources claimed that the Kambala event is scheduled to be held 18 and 19 October and about 130 pairs of buffaloes have been registered for the slush race competition.

The government has increased the number of Dasara Sub-Committees this year from 17 to 18 by creating a separate Committee for Kambala. Organisers are also planning a traditional ritual at the venue to mark the completion of the tracks.

Mysuru Zilla Panchayat (ZP) CEO S Ukesh Kumar has been appointed the Deputy Special Officer for the Dasara Kambala Committee, while ZP Deputy Secretary Bheemappa K Lali is the Working President.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (Territorial) K Paramesh has been appointed Assistant Working President, Public Works Department Executive Engineer Padmanabha as Secretary and Mysuru City Corporation Assistant Executive Engineer Mythri as Assistant Secretary.