“Cauvery crisis which can easily be solved by making minor adjustments has been made too complex due to politics, emotions and passion,” said Agenda for Bangalore Infrastructure and Development (ABIDe) member Dr Ashwin Mahesh.
Speaking at a seminar on “Cauvery Dispute and Water Management” organised by Foundation for Indic Research Studies, Mahesh said, “We may find a solution if the discussions are held in open as that would prevent people from creating hurdles while finding the solution.”
According to Mahesh, 65 per cent of the Cauvery water is being used for irrigation, 10 per cent for power generation and industrial purpose and 10 per cent for domestic purposes. He said, “If just 10 per cent of agriculturalists take up drip irrigation and follow scientific cropping pattern, water scarcity will reduce in Cauvery basin. If 50 per cent of the farmers embrace water-smart technologies, many new areas can be irrigated with the surplus water. The problem can be solved even if we stop hydel power generation. Bangalore draws 4 per cent of Cauvery water, though it can harvest 10 times more water just by effectively harvesting rain water in Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) region.”
“Half of the city is crying for water, while the other half is flushing Cauvery water in their toilets. We can minimise the domestic water usage by plugging the leaks, efficient water distribution and using recycled water,” Mahesh added.
He urged on the need to construct reservoirs near border area, to tap the rain water that flows into Tamil Nadu and to effectively regulate the flow of water for irrigation.