Release 3K cusecs of water to VC canal: Krishna

SMK writes to minister seeking justice for farmers

Former chief minister and BJP leader S M Krishna has written to Water Resources Minister M B Patil on Monday, urging him to release 3,000 cusecs of water from Krishnaraja Sagara (KRS) dam to Visvesvaraya canal immediately.

Krishna is believed to have expressed his displeasure over the delay in releasing water into canals.

Successive droughts and a prolonged dry spell this season have left the farmers in the region high and dry, he said and added that 124 farmers in 2015-16, and 74 farmers in 2016-17 had committed suicides due to mounting debts and crop failure. 

The former chief minister condemned the government for not taking a decision to release water even after the water level at KRS dam reached 90 feet. The farmers have already launched protests in the Cauvery basin districts. Before the situation goes out of control, the government should take a decision on releasing water from KRS and other reservoirs in the basin, he said.

The letter also flayed the government for releasing water to Tamil Nadu for the past two months and thereby meting out injustice to farmers of the district.

Denotification of lakes

Krishna also flayed the government’s decision to denotify dried lakes in the state.  Measures should be taken to rejuvenate the lakes. The Water Resources and Revenue ministers should discuss the issue and drop the decision, he demanded.