Paddy growers in Tungabhadra river basin left high and dry

Decisions on releasing water from Tungabhadra dam for crops only after August But the farmers cannot grow paddy with the available water Minister has decided to advice farmers to grow alternative crop    

The Canal Advisory Committee has decided to take decisions about releasing water from the Tungabhadra dam for crops only after August. Hence, the Tungabhadra irrigation area of 2.5 lakh hectare will not be able to grow paddy and the farmers must plan to grow some other crop, discussed the committee headed by Bellari District in-charge Minister Santhosh Lad. No major decisions were taken with regard to releasing water for crops at this meeting, reports Kannada Prabha.

The Tungabhadra Dam had received very little water of 86 tmc only in the year 2016-17. For the crops 12 tmc water was already released. This year also the inflow into the dam was only 12 tmc. The farmers are demanding release of water on the lines of previous year. However, the committee has decided that it would be difficult to release water like last year. The water required for crop at the river basin is 70 tmc of water. But there is not much water available to provide for the crops. The inflow to the dam is expected to rise in September to at least 21 tmc. If this expectation is met, then the dam will store 17 tmc water. Of this 35 per cent has to be shared with Andhra Pradesh. In that case the State farmers will get water of 45 tmc only.

Of the 45 tmc, the drinking water share is only 12 tmc. In the remaining 33 tmc, daily release of 7.50 tmc will last for around 50 days. But Paddy cannot be grown in 50 days. Hence, Minister Santhosh Lad told Kannada Prabha that he has advised the farmers to wait for rain and in the event of failure of rains, alternate crop can be grown with the available water.