As the people in Mysuru district are facing extreme heat with soaring mercury levels, amidst reports of drinking water crisis in some parts of the district, Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru K.V. Rajendra has issued an order banning illegal drawing of water from rivers and irrigation canals for agriculture and other purposes with immediate effect.
The move is aimed at preventing drinking water shortage in the days ahead with the district under the grip of drought.
The DC’s order comes in the wake of reports of illegal drawing of Cauvery water using pump sets on the banks of the river in Periyapatna taluk. This had affected the drinking water supply in the town.
The Periyapatna taluk task force that met on March 14 had written to the DC urging him to invoke the powers given under the Karnataka Irrigation Act, 1965 restricting the use of river water for other purposes in certain situations.
The Section 46 of Karnataka Irrigation Act, 1965 states that no person other than the irrigation officer shall interfere with or divert the course of a natural stream or construct any earthen or masonry bund or weir on any channel or stream, flow in above or below any field channel, according to the order.
In the order, the DC, who is also the chairman for the Mysuru Disaster Management Authority, says the Chief Minister, during a video conference on March 5, had ordered for restricting illegal drawing of river water for agriculture and other purposes to overcome drinking water crisis because of the drought situation.
The order has been issued to overcome any serious crisis of drinking water in the days ahead in view of the drought.
