Farmers demand release of water from KRS, Kabini reservoirs to fill up waterbodies

Farmers staged a demonstration outside the office of Command Area Development Authority (CADA) in Mysuru on Tuesday demanding immediate release of water from KRS and Kabini reservoirs to fill up the lakes and other water bodies.

Farmers staged a demonstration outside the office of Command Area Development Authority (CADA) in Mysuru on Tuesday demanding immediate release of water from KRS and Kabini reservoirs to fill up the lakes and other waterbodies.

The farmers, who had gathered under the aegis of Federation of State Farmers’ Associations and State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, contended that several standing crops like sugarcane, banana, arecanut, coconut, besides fruits and vegetables and other crops that had been sown like paddy, ragi and jowar were drying up owing to the scorching summer sun.

Organising Secretary of the State Sugarcane Growers’ Association Attihalli Devaraj, who led the protesters, pointed out that the lakes and other waterbodies too were drying up in view of the onset of summer, causing a drinking water crisis not only for people and their livestock, but also depleting the groundwater level.

The depletion of the groundwater level had affected availability of borewell water for agriculture through Irrigation Pumpsets, leading to wilting of fruit, vegetables and other crops.

As the farmers were facing a distress situation, they urged the Irrigation Department authorities to immediately release water from KRS to Visvesvaraya canal (VC), Varuna branch canals and Chikkadevaraya Extension canal and from Kabini reservoir to Right Bank Canal so that the waterbodies got filled up.

The release of water will not only save the standing crops and ensure water supply to people and livestock, but also strengthen the groundwater table, Mr. Devaraj pointed out. He said the reservoirs had been built from the taxes of the people and a large number of villages had been submerged during their construction. Hence, the water stored in the reservoirs should be used for the benefit of the people.

The farmers also pointed out that the work on modernisation of Bannur Doddakere Right Bank and Left Bank canals of KRS division have been repeatedly delayed, citing various pretexts. They urged the authorities to ensure that the works are completed at the earliest without any further delays.