Rajya Raitha Sangha has opposed the State government’s decision to stop the flow of water along left and right bank canals of Bhadra reservoir.
   Water flow along Bhadra canal has been stopped from June 1 to December 31, owing to modernisation work. Briefing press people in the city, Secretary of Raitha Sangha H R Basavarajappa said that the standing crop and horticulture crop worth Rs 850 crore in the   Bhadra command area will be destroyed due to irrational decision on the part of the government. Slating out the details of loss which the farmers are expected to incur due to the stopping of water flow, he informed that paddy grown in 1.50 lakh acre worth Rs 210 crore, sugar cane worth Rs 240 crore in 40,000 acre, areca worth Rs 300 crore in 40,000 acre and coconut worth Rs 20 crore in 20,000 acre will be destroyed.
   Suggesting to the State government to modify the schedule, he said that instead of modernisation, work should be designed according to cropping pattern along the command area, he said.
   Modernisation work can be undertaken from June 1 to July 15 and from November 15 to December 31, he opined.
   Flaying the Minister of Water Resource K S Eshwarappa for undertaking hasty decision in this regard he said, “Minister has taken unilateral decision without discussing the issue with ryots. Officials in Water Resource Department are misguiding the minister,” he alleged.
   However Basavarajappa also said that “if government invites us for talk, Raitha Sangha will guide the government over the issue.”Raitha Sangha leaders Y G Mallikarjuna, S Shivamurthy and K Raghavendra were present in the news conference.