JOIN US Karnataka on Saturday decided to release 1 tmc water from Narayanpur balancing reservoir to Maharashtra to mitigate the drinking water problems faced by several villages and towns on the banks of Bhima river in both states.
The decision on the release of water was in response to Maharashtra’s gesture of releasing 2 tmc water from Koyna reservoir to barrages in Krishna basin in Karnataka.
The neighbouring state had put condition Karnataka should release 2 tmc from Narayanpur.
Water from Narayanpur dam was sought to address the water scarcity in Sholapur and Akkalkot in that state.
However, Karnataka decided to release 1 tmc water as a goodwill gesture. Nearly 2,000 cusecs of water has been released already. This will help store water in three barrages in Maharashtra across Bhima and six to seven barrages in Karnataka.
People in taluks like Afzalpur, Jewargi, Kalaburagi, Shahpur, Chittapur and Yadgir, which are facing acute shortage, too will benefit from this.
Water Resources Minister M B Patil said that officials had been instructed to ensure that release of water would be utilised only for drinking purposes.