BENGALURU: Officials of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam (CNN) working at Byramangala lake are at the receiving end of the farmers’ wrath. CNN officials are working with the Minor Irrigation Department to create a diversion channel for taking up works on Byramangala lake, which is on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Mysuru Road.
During the course of their work, the CNN has reduced the water level of the lake by 2-3m. This has affected the farmers upstream of the lake up to Hosur. They say that around 1,000 pumpsets have gone dry. The farmers, therefore, want the CNN to stop their work immediately.
Also, members of Bengaluru Environment Trust, who are working closely with the farmers, said that CNN and MID had not consulted the farmers before taking up any project. They also demanded that two authorities share the detailed project report, social impact and environmental impact report with the public.
The farmers also said that that while CNN was undertaking civil works and diverting sewage water, untreated water started entering the rivers, which the farmers use to cultivate their crops.
Reacting to this, CNN Executive Engineer Raghuram said that diverting the water through channels was being done only on a temporary basis to undertake lake works. Diversion channels were being made to avoid seepage. “We are stuck between farmers upstream and downstream of the lake. Once the project is done, water levels will be restored to normal,” he said.