Maharashtra water enters Chikkodi taluk

Water released from the Sulkod barrage in Maharashtra entered the state and joined River Doodhganga near Eksamba town in Chikkodi taluk on Thursday.

According to the agreement with Maharashtra on sharing of Doodhganga waters, water release from Sulkod barrage began on April 5 and 432 mcft water was released into the river so far.

Water reached Eksamba after crossing Mangur, Karadga, Sadalga, Borgaon and Mallikwad villages in Chikkodi. Water would be released till April 15, sources in the Karnataka Niravari Nigam said.

The taluk administration has cut power supply to irrigation pumpsets along the river to ensure water released was not used for irrigation. Farmers in Karnataka complain that water was being drawn for irrigation in Maharashtra, resulting in reduced flow into the river.

With Maharashtra releasing water from Kalammawadi dam in a phased manner, villages along Doodhganga are getting water. However, Raibag and Athani taluks are deprived of water since the flow in Doodhganga is not enough to cross the Krishna riverbed.

Elected representatives had recently urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to release water from Koyna dam into River Krishna to meet drinking water needs of villages in Belagavi, Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts.