BELAGAVI: In the backdrop of acute shortage of drinking water and the prevailing drought situation in North Karnataka districts, mainly Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalaburgi and Raichur, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has requested his Maharashtra counterpart Eknath Shinde to help release water from reservoirs of Maharashtra’s Krishna and Bhima river into the state.
In a letter to Chief Minister Shinde, Siddaramaiah said that the districts of North Karnataka are facing acute shortage of drinking water due to harsh summer. The water crisis started in March itself. “In the earlier occasions, during the summer season, the Maharashtra government responded positively, releasing water to the Krishna river, to meet drinking water needs of people and livestock in Karnataka. The state government conveys sincere thanks to the state of Maharashtra,’’ he said.
He said presently, the North Karnataka districts are facing a severe drought due to the failure of monsoon and the storage of reservoirs depleted substantially. Available water is insufficient to meet the domestic needs. There is no chance of rainfall until the onset of monsoon.
Siddaramaiah requested Shinde to release 2 tmcft water from Warna or Koyna reservoir to Krishna river and another 1 tmcft water from Ujjani reservoir to Bhima river, to help Karnataka meet immediate drinking water needs of affected districts.