Following the state’s announcement in the Supreme Court on Monday that it would release 10,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, farmers allege that the Shettar government has failed to explain properly in court the ground reality in the drought-hit regions of the Cauvery basin.
The farmers want the government to go on appeal seeking the apex court to review its stand on the issue as there is not enough water in the reservoirs. Many farmers have not transplanted paddy crop and have not taken up sugarcane cultivation in the region as the water level in KRS reservoir is 110 feet as against 123.
61 feet during the corresponding period last year. Since September 1, the outflow from Kabini reservoir has been reduced to 5,000 cusecs due to scanty rains in Wayanad region of Kerala. The water level in the reservoir is 2,281 ft as against last year’s level of 2,284 ft.
Similarly, the water level in KRS reservoir is 110 ft as against the maximum level of 124.8 ft. The inflow into the dam is 9,013 cusecs and the outflow 5,302 cusecs.
With the discharge of about 10 tmcft, water level in KSR would come down to 100 ft. This would not be sufficient to meet the drinking water and agricultural needs in the Cauvery basin, which expects rains only after June next year.
Mysore-Bangalore highway blocked
Hundreds of farmers, led by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha president K S Puttannaiah and Nanjunde Gowda, blocked Mysore-Bangalore Highway in Mandya for some time to protest the government’s announcement to release water to Tamil Nadu.
Puttannaiah said they would launch a protest if the state government released water ignoring the plight of its farmers. “Where will the water come from when there is no rains in the Cauvery catchment area?” he asked.
Zilla Raitha Rakshana Samithi president and former MP G Made Gowda said the state had failed to apprise the court of the real situation. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike activists, led by Madesh, staged a protest in front of the Gandhi statue here
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