Karnataka: Sadananda Gowda requests for more Cauvery water to Mandya
DV Sadananda Gowda, Union minister of chemicals and fertilisers wrote a letter to chairman of Cauvery Water Management Authority, Mansoor Khan, and Union minister of Jalashakti, Gajendra Shekhawat, requesting to release more water from KRS dam to Mandya district in Karnataka
FollowBengaluru: Water scarcity grips Karnataka and the state has found itself in deep trouble. DV Sadananda Gowda, Union minister of chemicals and fertilisers shot off a letter on Thursday to chairman of Cauvery Water Management Authority, Mansoor Khan, and Union minister of Jalashakti, Gajendra Shekhawat.Â
Gowda, in his letter, has requested for two thousand and million cubic feet (TMC) of water from KRS dam to the district of Mandya in Karnataka.Â
The request has been made to aid farmers to overcome the loss of crops and mitigate the farmer’s crisis.
In the letter, the minister stated that Mandya, which is located near the banks of the Cauvery, is mainly dependent on agriculture for income. The letter also said that crops like paddy, sugarcane, jowar, maize, cotton, banana, ragi, coconut, pulses and vegetables are cultivated in the area.
As there is deficit rainfall in the state, the canals irrigating the area are dry. This creates more trouble for farmers, the letter said.
Gowsa stated that there is 80 feet of water available with 2.4 TMC reserve supply. He requested Shekhawat and Hussain to examine the issue and help the situation.
The letter read:
Earlier on Saturday, the state chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, among all the political turmoil, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought central assistance to the state reeling under severe drought due to 45% shortfall in rainfall.
Before the Lok Sabha polls, the state government, in its memorandum to the Centre, had sought financial assistance of Rs 2,064 crore to provide relief to farmers hit by drought during the rabi season. Â
Karnataka has declared drought in 156 taluks in 30 districts. As many as 107 taluks are facing severe drought, while 49 taluks have moderate drought.
About 20.40 lakh hectare farmland has been affected due to drought in the state. Crop loss is estimated in 19.46 lakh hectare, according to the state government. The state had faced drought during the kharif season of 2018-19.
