Crisis in Cauvery, plentiful water in Krishna

A total of 6 lakh hectares of land is being fed water from the dam through the canals, beginning July 17, with a minimum daily release of 12,000 cusecs. Yet, the water level in the resevoir has not come down. 

Continuous rain in the catchment area has also kept the water level stable. On Wednesday, the level stood at the maximum level of 519.6 metres. The inflow and outflow of the dam was 56,495 cusecs. 

If the situation continues till October-end, it will be ideal for water release into the canals till March next year, a boon for farmers in the basin, say officials of the Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited. 

There was a crisis in the Krishna basin last year. Such a situation had arisen for the first time since 2002, when the dam was constructed. People in the region are demanding that Chief  Minister Siddaramaiah offer bagina to the dam this year. Siddaramaiah had done the honours at the KRS dam last year.