India – Karnataka – KRS WATER RELEASED TO TN

Mandya, Aug. 19- The State Government has started releasing water from KRS reservoir to Tamil Nadu.

The authorities started releasing over 12,000 cusecs of water into River Cauvery from yesterday morning.

The release commenced a day after Tamil Nadu PWD Secretary Ramasubramanian’s statement that the State had to make good a shortfall of 20 tmc of Cauvery water this year.

Sources said that the water was being released from two gates into the river following instructions from the State Government.

Cauvery Neeravari Nigam, however, claimed that water was not released from the reservoir to Tamil Nadu.

They were only releasing excess water into the river as they should not impound water beyond 123 ft (maximum level 124.80 ft).

KRS Dam - Water released to Tamilnadu

Meanwhile, farmers have opposed the release of water. They pointed out that the dam still required two tmc of water to reach the maximum level.

Farmer leaders K.S. Nanjundegowda and Konasale Nara-saraju have threatened to launch an agitation if the release was not stopped. They said State farmers needed water to save the summer crop.

There was no question of releasing Cauvery water to TN disregarding the interests of Karnataka’s farmers, clarified Basavaraja Bommmai, Minister for Water Resources.

Water had not been released yielding the pressures from TN. Therefore, there was no need for the farmers to get anxious, he added.

He came to know about the TN’s demand for water through the media. The government had not received any official communication from TN, he disclosed.

The Government had not ordered for the release of water. The sluice gates of the reservoir were not functioning properly. Keeping the reservoir’s status in mind, water level was being maintained at 123ft., Vijayakumar, Executive Engineer, KRS Division, said adding that outflow from the reservoir was being maintained equal to inflow into the reservoir.

In deference to the orders of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, water was being allowed to flow into Tamil Nadu quietly. First the water needs of Achkat area should be fulfilled and the ponds and lakes filled, said Melkote MLA C.S. Puttaraju.

From StarofMysore