MYSURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday directed Irrigation Department officials to release water for standing crops in the Cauvery and Kabini achukat area on priority. Speaking before the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) passed an order asking Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days, he expressed displeasure over the state irrigation consultative committee's decision to release water on an on-and-off system for 15 days to KRS and Kabini achukat farmers. In the absence of a distress formula to determine the quantum of Cauvery water to be released to Tamil Nadu, Irrigation Department officials should have given water to kharif crops, instead of adopting the on-and-off system. “Who told you to adopt the on-and-off system? Why should you presume there is a problem,” he asked Irrigation Department Chief Engineer Venkatesh.
Siddaramaiah said Tamil Nadu has increased its kuruvai crop cultivation area from 1.8 lakh hectares to over 3 lakh hectares and the Mettur reservoir has 63 tmcft of water.
Though the Cauvery tribunal has directed the state to release 177 tmcft of water in a normal year, Karnataka has let out 30 tmcft as against the demand for 83 tmcft, he said. Reiterating that the construction of Mekedatu balancing reservoir with a capacity of 63 tmcft is the only solution, he regretted Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the reservoir, which would help in distress years and also meet drinking water needs.
“We can’t give 83 tmcft of water as it will empty out reservoirs and cause problems for drinking water,” he added. “The Supreme Court should formulate a strict distress formula as the water level at the KRS Dam stands at 101.83 ft as against the maximum of 124.8 ft. Farmers in the Cauvery basin should be protected like those in the delta region,” he added. He advised Irrigation Department officials to work with allied departments and to educate farmers on the judicious use of water.
District Minister HC Mahadevappa told Chief Engineer Venkatesh to go by the decision of the Irrigation Consultative Committee and to ensure that water is released to save the only crop in Kabini and KRS achukat areas. Venkatesh said they can release water for crops till December if they get 15-20 tmcft of water and if it rains over the next couple of weeks.
Siddaramaiah earlier ruled out cloud seeding to overcome monsoon shortage. He said it has never been successful.