The Irrigation Consultative Committee of Bhadra Reservoir, which met at Malavagoppa on Wednesday, resolved to stop the release of water to the left bank canal immediately, considering the decrease in the inflow due to the loss of rainfall.
Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa, who chaired the meeting as Minister in charge of Shivamogga district at the Bhadra Command Area Development Authority office, told the media that before he could take over as the chairman of the committee, a decision was taken to release water for 100 days to the right and left bank canals. “However, considering the abysmal decline in the inflow to the reservoir following the loss of rainfall, we have to stop the release of water to the left bank immediately. This is a tentative measure. A final decision will be taken after discussing the issue at the State level in the presence of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister before September 11,” he said.
The dam authorities were releasing 380 cusecs of water to the left bank canal, which takes water to Bhadravathi and Tarikere taluks and another 2,650 cusecs to the right bank canal, which irrigates agricultural land in Davangere district. At present, the release of water through the left bank has been stopped.
The Minister said that the officers had assured people in Davangere that water would be released in 100 days, hoping for good rains. The farmers took up paddy cultivation. “As the rains receded in August, we are facing a shortage of water, considering the demand for drinking water and other requirements until the next rainy season,” he said.
Following the decision to release water for 100 days, the farmers began an indefinite protest in front of the Bhadra Reservoir Project office on September 1. They maintained that if water was released for so long, the areca plantations would have to suffer in the summer season without water. They demanded a meeting of the ICC to revise the decision. The government convened the meeting. However, there were no elected representatives from Davangere district in the meeting.
