Good monsoon, but farmers disappointed

With Kodagu receiving good rains this season, water from Cauvery and Hemavathy rivers have been released into canals, but, it has not reached the tail-end, leaving the farmers fuming and agricultural activities taking a beating.

Tail-end farmers of Malavalli and Maddur taluks under KRS Dam, farmers in parts of Mandya, Pandavapura and Nagamangala taluks, under Hemavathy Dam are yet to be benefited. Though water is being released from KRS Dam since two months, more than 22 lakes of Kasaba and Kirugavalu hoblis of Malavalli taluk are yet to receive it.

Protests

A series of protests were staged by various parties, including the JD(S), seeking immediate action. But, the protests have not evoked any response from the District Administration.

Former MLA K Annadani of the JD(S) had recently warned of staging an agitation if the lakes in Malavalli are not filled before September 15. However, MLA P M Narendraswamy claimed that the root-cause for the problem were JS(S) leaders.

“The farmers in the upper region use pumpsets to lift water from canals directly. So, water is not reaching the tail-end of canals,” he said.

He said, he had demanded the officials to release sufficient water at a recently held Irrigation Consultative Committee meeting.

Villagers said, the local representatives had taken a engineer of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL), who visited the villages recently, but no action has been taken to solve their problem.

Meeting

Deputy Commissioner Ajay Nagabushan said, a meeting has been convened on September 12 with Cesc and CNNL officials to discuss the issue. He said, he will personally visit the affected areas and take stock of the situation.