Farmers protest near Chikodi seeking water from Hidkal Dam

Belagavi: Hundred of farmers under the leadership of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha, blocked Chikodi-Miraj state highway near Kerur Cross of Chikodi on Friday, demanding the the release of water from the Hidkal Reservoir to the Ghataprabha Left Bank Canal (GLBC) and solutions to various problems faced by the farmers.Farmers staged a massive protest near Kerur cross and blocked the Chikodi-Miraj state highway. The police struggled to stop the farmers who tried to block the Chikodi-Miraj state highway. The farmers criticised the officials concerned for not releasing water to the canal and expressed their anger against the government by shouting slogans.Manjunath Paragouda, taluk president of the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha said that a request was made to the authorities to divert water to the GLBC which will benefit the farmers of Rupinal, Kerur, Jodakurali, Arabyanavadi villages. However, the farmers have protested because the water is not flowing into the canal. The protest will not be withdrawn until the water is released.Speaking on this occasion, the farmer leaders said that the rain has disappeared and the crops of the farm have started drying up. There is no water in canals to irrigate lands. Water should be released from the reservoir to the GLBC immediately. The loans of distressed farmers should be waived, they demanded.Irrigation department officer Nagesh Kolkar who rushed to the spot said: “There is an irrigation advisory committee. They order us to release water according to demand. If the advisory committee agrees, we are ready to release water immediately. The canals will be cleaned and water will be flowed. We hope we can get water to Kerur village within eight days,” He requested the farmers to drop the protest. Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha Secretary Bhimashi Gadadi, president of Athani Raita Sangha Mahadev Madiwal, Dundappa Hinglaj, Pratap Patil and hundred of farmers were participated.A heavy police security was arranged in the wake of the farmers' protest. More than 50 policemen including one DAR, two KSRP platoons, one DySP, CPI and four PSIs were deployed at the spot.

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