Members of the Raitha Sangha staged a protest in front of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam’s office here on Thursday seeking release of water into the canals from Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir so as to facilitate farmers of the taluk to take up sowing of paddy.

The members, who staged a protest for more than half an hour, said that unless a decision is taken by the Irrigation Consultative Committee meeting, it is not possible to release water. When Nigam’s Executive Engineer Basavarajegowda said that District in-charge Minister Krishnappa has directed them not to convene a meeting till the water level of KRS dam reaches 100 feet, the farmers began arguing with him.

Farmer leader K S Nanjundegowda said that, “Do the farmers have to grow crops after seeking permission from the minister? We will not tolerate such statements.”

The farmers said that with the KRS dam receiving an inflow of more than 4,000 cusecs every day, water should be released into Visvesvaraya, Chikkadevarayasagar,
Devaraya, Virija and other canals in the region. This would enable the farmers to begin sowing activities. If it is delayed it would result in crop loss, they said.

“The authorities have been releasing more than 1,700 cusecs into the river from the dam to meet the drinking water requirement of Bengaluru and other cities but they have neglected farmers. If they do not release water into the canals within a week, the farmers will stage an indefinite stir,” they warned.