MANDYA: Farmers and activists staged a sudden protest in Mandya on Tuesday opposing the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) directive to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily from August 12 for the next 15 days.The protesters gathered at Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar Circle in Mandya and blocked traffic for a while. They later raised slogans against CWRA and Tamil Nadu government.
They said that crops in the Cauvery command area were already facing severe water shortage. They urged the State Government to provide appropriate compensation to farmers. They pointed out that rainfall in Kodagu and the Wayanad region in neighbouring Kerala had reduced in recent days, while the prospects of significant rainfall remained low. Against this backdrop, they questioned the decision to release water to Tamil Nadu.
The protesters said the KRS reservoir currently has a water level of around 110ft, with approximately 30tmcft of water in storage. If 16 tmcft is released to Tamil Nadu, farmers in Karnataka would be left without sufficient water for their crops, they claimed.
“Are only farmers in Tamil Nadu entitled to grow crops? Why should Karnataka farmers be denied water for cultivation?” questioned a farmer.
They alleged that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy, senior government officials and engineers had failed to adequately represent Karnataka’s water requirements before the CWRA. The State Government, they said, had not effectively presented data on the water required for agriculture and drinking purposes.
They also alleged that farmers were suffering losses due to the State Government’s failure to ensure adequate water for standing crops.
If the release continued, farmers and members of the public would take to the streets and launch an intense agitation, they warned.
FIRM ON DECISION TO HOLD K’TAKA BANDH: VATAL
Hubballi: Former MLA and Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj on Tuesday said Kannada organisations are firm on the Karnataka bandh call given on August 13 on Cauvery issue and sought the cooperation of various associations. The shutdown is also for various pending projects of North Karnataka, he added. Ahead of the bandh, Nagaraj staged a symbolic protest at Rani Chennamma Circle here along with Mahadayi activists.
