BENGALURU: With fairly good rainfall over the last few days, inflows into reservoirs have been encouraging. The farming community, which suffered due to delayed monsoon this year, has been demanding that water be released for their standing crops. But for the government, the priorities are drinking water and sufficient storage to last throughout the year.
Farmer leader Kurubur Shantakumar said, “I’m just now visiting our farmer leaders in Bagalkot and other adjoining areas where there is a need for water. The requirement is specific and it has a time frame. We are asking for water for the standing kharif crops.’’
DyCM DK Shivakumar said, “We will hold a meeting of district ministers and others. Wherever there is a need we will release water.”
Former CM Basavaraj Bommai said, “Better water management can be taken up.” Former water resources minister Govind Karjol, too, said the water level at the Tungabhadra Dam has increased and farmers, especially paddy growers, have to be given water immediately. The inflows to Hidkal dam, along the Ghataprabha river, have been good and farmers on the right and left bank canals have been requesting for water, he added.
A source said that unless the dams are 60 per cent full they cannot release water. They said the state has 13 major reservoirs, including Tungabhadra, Bhadra, Ghataprabha, KRS, Hemavathi, Malaprabha, Varahi, Narayanpura, Kabini and Harangi, and not all of them have reached 60 per cent capacity. It may not be prudent to release water for irrigation now, he explained.
A source in the water resource department said, “Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and Cauvery basin cities need 25 tmcft of water. We also need to release 40 tmcft to Tamil Nadu. Where is water for all when most reservoirs are only 40 per cent full? What is the guarantee that the monsoon will continue to be good this year? When we receive requisite amounts of water, we will release it for irrigation. When have we stopped water for agriculture ever in any year,” he asked.