Prohibitory orders clamped in Krishnaraja Sagar Dam area in the wake of protests over release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu have been extended till February 20, officials said today.

The ban orders promulgated by the district administration under Section 144 of CrPC in and around three KM radius of the dam on February 7 as a precautionary measure had been extended for the third time, Panduvapura Assistant Commissioner R Latha told reporters.

Karnataka commenced release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from February 9 complying with the Supreme Court order directing it to release 2.44 tmc to save standing crops.

The release of water triggered protests by farmers outfits.  Karnataka has moved the Supreme Court seeking review of its order citing depleted storage in its reservoirs.

District authorities today said Cauvery water outflow to Tamil Nadu has been increased from 2,000 cusecs to 5,566 cusecs to meet the February 7 apex court order.

The water level at KRS was 78.25 feet against its maximum of 124.80 feet, whereas the inflow was only 284 cusecs, they said.

Latha said water level at KRS was decreasing day by day and in next three days it might reach the "Dead Storage" level.

Karnatak Rajya Rytha Sangha leader Nanjunde Gowda urged the state government to release water into canals to surrounding tanks so that farmers can feed water to cattles.

Due to drought and water scarcity, farmers have lost standing crops, the government should compensate by giving Rs 2,000 as unemployment wages to them, he said.