Context: Karnataka HC bans mining activity near KRS reservoir. High Court says ban will apply even on existing mining licences, adding, it will be in force till the completion of a study by experts and decision taken by the State committee on dam safety.

About Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam:

• Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam is a gravity dam.
• Situated below the confluence of the Kaveri River with its tributaries Hemavati and Lakshmana Tirtha, in Mandya district, Karnataka.
• Usage:
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  • The dam serves irrigation purposes in Mysore and Mandya, and it's a primary drinking water SOURCE for Mysore, Mandya, and Bengaluru.
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  • It also facilitates power supply to the Shivanasamudra hydroelectric power station.
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  • Water released from KRS Dam flows into Tamil Nadu and is stored in the Mettur Dam in Salem district.
• History:
  • Constructed during the rule of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and named in his honor.
  • Construction started in 1911 and completed in 1931.
  • Designed by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, a renowned Indian engineer.

• Features:

  • Constructed using a mixture of surki mortar and limestone.
  • Dimensions: 2,621 meters (8,600 ft) long and 40 meters (130 ft) high.
  • Features 177 arch-type iron sluices, some equipped with automatic doors.
  • Reservoir spans approximately 130 sq. km, ranking as the largest in Asia during its construction.
  • Brindavan Gardens, an ornamental garden, is associated with the dam.

Key Facts about Kaveri River:

• Kaveri, also spelled Cauvery, is a sacred river in southern India, often referred to as the Ganga of South India.
• Originates on Brahmagiri Hill in the Western Ghats, Karnataka.
• Flows southeast for 765 km through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, descending the Eastern Ghats with significant waterfalls.
• Cauvery basin spans Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
• Drains into the Bay of Bengal at Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu.
• Major left bank tributaries include Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, and Arkavati.
• Major right bank tributaries include Lakshmantirtha, Kabbani, Suvarnavati, Bhavani, Noyil, and Amaravati.