Mandya, July 9 -- Why not traditional Cauvery Aarti at Bathing Ghat in Srirangapatna?

Barely three days after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah performed 'bagina' ceremony at KRS Dam in Srirangapatna on June 30 and directed authorities to install a commemorative plaque marking the reservoir's historic filling to the brim in June itself - the first such occurrence in over eight decades - former Srirangapatna MLA Ravindra Srikantaiah has raised serious questions about the propriety of CM's directive.

Addressing a press conference, Srikantaiah revealed that while water was released from KRS Dam in May for farmers' benefit, authorities abruptly stopped canal releases after monsoon onset under the pretext of canal modernisation.

He maintained tha...