Mandya (Karnataka), Jul 19 (IANS): Amid allegations over illegal mining causing damage to iconic Krishna Raja Sagara Dam, a portion of the wall beneath the stairs connecting Brindavan Garden to the area where the idol of Goddess Cauvery is installed near the dam, collapsed late on Sunday, triggering panic among those residing in the vicinity.

The ornamental, terraced Brindavan Garden is located nine kms of Mysuru where the dam is situated. Swirling musical fountains with soft music and colourful lights transform it into a veritable fairy land in the evenings, attracting thousands of visitors.

According to authorities, around 30 stones supporting the stairs had fallen off, resulting in the collapse of a portion of the wall. "This could have happened due to the incessant rains in the last few days as the mortar, used in construction works those days, may have turned weak in the recent years," an officer told reporters.

Following the incident, Srirangpatna MLA Ravindra Srikantaiah visited the spot along with Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Superintending Engineer Vijay Kumar.

Both of them denied any threat to the safety of the dam, claiming that the portion which collapsed is not connected to the core part of the dam.

"The area where the wall has collapsed is not connected to the core structure of the dam, as it is situated around 12 metres outside the dam. The dam is safe," said Srikantaiah.

For the last fortnight, Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh had been raising concerns over the safety of the dam, claiming that illegal mining in the vicinity was causing harm.

Amidst her allegations, she even visited a couple of mining areas and inspected a few areas in Srirangapatna and 'Bebi Betta (hill)' in Pandavapura taluk where stone quarries operate.

Apart from inspecting the dam, she had also petitioned the Governor and the state Mines Minister to initiate stringent measures to prevent illegal mining activities that have been going on in this region for the last couple of years.

Krishna Raja Sagara, also popularly known as KRS dam, was built across the river Cauvery in 1924. Its water is used for irrigation in Mysuru and Mandya districts and is also the main source of drinking water for all of Mysuru, Mandya and almost the whole of Bengaluru city. The water released from this dam flows into the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and is stored in Mettur dam in its Salem district.