Illegal bunds built on Cauvery cleared

Town Panchayat, water supply and UGD Board officials cleared the illegal bunds constructed across River Cauvery on Tuesday.

The action by the officials has come in the wake of Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy’s order against the illegal lifting of water from the river.

The deputy commissioner had warned agriculturists and industrialists not to draw water using motor pumps.

Town Panchayat officials and police personnel took part in the operation. The illegal bunds created by agriculturists using sandbags were cleared to facilitate the free flow of water.

Officials meanwhile warned the agriculturists and industrialists not to build bunds and also directed the stopping of water supply to private tourist centres in Kaveri Nisargadhama. People were also told to stop boating facilities in River Cauvery.

Kushalnagar Town Panchayat Chief Officer Sujay Kumar said that the public should provide information to the officials about people who lift water from the river using pump sets.

As the water level in the river has come down, Kushalnagar town and surrounding regions are facing a water crisis.

The Town Panchayat and other local organizations have been distributing drinking water to the residential areas through tankers.

In order to provide water to the localities, the water board has built a bund near pump house in Baichanahalli. But the requirement of 28 lakh litres per day could not be met.

A number of illegal bunds found on a stretch of 10 km, from Kaveri Nisargadhama to Teppadakandi were cleared by the officials.