Mangaluru: Former MLA and ‘Parisarakagi Naavu’ state president A T Ramaswamy has appealed to people in coastal Karnataka to oppose the proposed Kambala event in Mysuru, citing widespread drought, drinking water shortages and alleged environmental damage at the venue.

Addressing a press conference in Mangaluru on Monday, Ramaswamy said Kambala was a traditional rural sport deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of coastal Karnataka. However, he urged organisers to reconsider holding the event in Mysuru amid the prevailing drought conditions and concerns over the site selected for the buffalo race.

He called on buffalo owners who had registered for the competition to withdraw their entries and urged coastal residents to persuade them to reconsider participating in the event.

Drought and water shortages raise concerns

Ramaswamy said more than 200 taluks in Karnataka were facing drought, with groundwater levels falling and hundreds of villages struggling to meet their drinking water requirements. He also expressed concern over shortages of water and fodder affecting cattle, goats and sheep.

He said the situation was worrying because the difficulties had emerged as early as October, raising concerns about the months ahead. Referring to reports about the possible impact of a super El Niño, he said farmers were already facing distress due to crop losses.

Criticising the state government’s announcement of Rs 2,500 in drought relief, Ramaswamy described the amount as inadequate and insulting to farmers. He claimed that farmers had decided to contribute Re 1 to the relief amount and donate the resulting Rs 2,501 to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund as a mark of protest.

Mysuru villages face drinking water shortages

Ramaswamy said Mysuru district was also experiencing severe drought, with several villages facing drinking water shortages.

Citing figures on the district’s lakes, he claimed that 2,928 of the 2,991 lakes had dried up, leaving only 63 with water. He also said borewells within a 10-km radius of Mysuru city had dried up and several residential areas were experiencing acute water shortages.

He further expressed concern over declining water levels in the Cauvery, Kabini, Hemavathi and Harangi reservoirs. According to him, their combined storage had fallen to less than half the level recorded during the corresponding period last year.

Against this backdrop, he questioned the decision to organise a major water-intensive sporting event in Mysuru when communities in the district were struggling to secure adequate water supplies.

Allegations of environmental damage at Kambala venue

Ramaswamy also raised concerns about the environmental impact of the site selected for the Mysuru Kambala event. He claimed that the land had originally been earmarked for a park and supported hundreds of trees, plants, shrubs and a lake that had since dried up.

According to him, the area also provided habitat for wildlife, including rabbits, squirrels and birds.

He alleged that more than 50 trees and hundreds of plants and shrubs had been cleared, damaging the local ecosystem. He further claimed that part of the lake bed had been filled to create the buffalo racing track.

Ramaswamy said the Forest Department had registered a first information report (FIR) in connection with the felling of trees. The allegations regarding environmental damage and the circumstances surrounding the site were raised by him during the press conference.

Questions over another major event in Mysuru

Questioning the need to organise another large event in the city, Ramaswamy pointed out that Mysuru already hosted numerous programmes during the Dasara celebrations.

These include the renowned Jamboo Savari procession, Women’s Dasara, Children’s Dasara, Raitha Dasara, Yuva Dasara, Yuva Sambhrama, food festivals, laser shows and sporting events.

He said residents had expressed dissatisfaction over what he described as inadequate organisation of some of these programmes and argued that the proposed Kambala event would add to the city’s existing commitments.

Ramaswamy also said protests against the Mysuru Kambala event had continued for around three months, with writers and artists from Mysuru district and other parts of Karnataka extending their support to the opposition.

He alleged that the government had remained firm on its decision despite the protests and that the organisers had not responded to the appeals for reconsideration.

Appeal to buffalo owners and coastal residents

Describing his appeal as a final attempt to prevent the event, Ramaswamy urged buffalo owners who had registered their animals for the competition to withdraw their entries.

He also appealed to people across coastal Karnataka to persuade the owners to stay away from the event, asking them to consider the drought situation and environmental concerns before deciding to participate.

Ramaswamy’s appeal comes amid a debate over balancing the preservation of Kambala, an important cultural tradition of coastal Karnataka, with concerns about water use and environmental protection at the proposed venue.

State Raitha Sangha president Badagalapura Nagendra, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti state convener Guruprasad Keragodu, ‘Parisarakagi Naavu’ general secretary Parashuramegowda, environmental activist Leela Shivakumar, writer and columnist Kusuma Ayarahalli, and general secretary Ravikiran Punacha were among those present at the press conference.