Will release water soon, says CM Siddaramaiah

CHIKKAMAGALURU/MYSURU: Chief minister Siddaramaiah indicated on Tuesday that water will be released for irrigation as farmers in the Cauvery belt are taking to the streets to highlight their plight.

His assurance comes a day after former chief minister S M Krishna wrote to water resources minister M B Patil, seeking water for Mandya farmers from dams in the Cauvery basin.

“What Krishna has said is not important,“ Siddaramaiah retorted, when asked about the letter, adding: “What's pertinent is that the farming community is agitating for water. I've convened a meeting of legislators and MPs from Mandya on Wednesday.“ He said the all-party meeting on August 14 will look into the demand and decide on the future course of action.

Indicating that water will be spared for irrigation, he said the state has to release 9tmcft till August-end. As against 21tmcft to be provided to Tamil Nadu, 12 tmcft is released, he told reporters at Kadur in Chikkamagaluru.

The CM said the Centre is not responding to the agricultural crisis in the state.Though the state has petitioned the Union government seeking funds, it has not received anything to tide over the drought, he said.

On Thursday , the CM is due to visit Mysuru, where he could face the wrath of farm ers who staged a roadblock at Nanjangud and set a 48-hour deadline to irrigation authorities to release water from the Kabini dam. This is the sixth time in a fortnight that farmers have demanded water for irrigation and to fill up tanks in rural areas. Vehicular traffic on NH-766 was severely affected. Siddaramaiah will visit the city to launch the 125th year celebrations of Mysuru Zoo. He will also visit Chamarajanagar where again, farmers are protesting for water. What has angered farmers is the continuous release of water from the Kabini and KRS dams to Tamil Nadu for five weeks, while they are denied the resource. The farmers said 25tmcft water has been released from the Kabini dam since June, while farmers dependent on the Rampura and Hullahalli canals need just 2tmcft to start agricultural activities. They raised slogans against the CM and district minister H C Mahadevappa.

They are also upset with Nanjangud MLA Kalale Keshavamurthy who was elected mid-April during the bypoll.Farmer leaders led by Hosakote Basavaraj and Ashwath Narayanraje Urs blocked the highway .

Nanjangud tahsildar M Dayananda referred to the allparty meeting convened by the CM on August 14 to discuss the issue and said they will convey their message to the government. But protesters warned of an agitation against the CM on Thursday.