The heavy discharge of water from the Almatti dam into Krishna from Wednesday has flooded hundred of acres of standing crop in the farms located on the bank of the river.
On Thursday, the officials of Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam Limited discharged 2.63 lakh cusecs of water, on Friday, it was 2.40 lakh cusecs while on Saturday, the officials discharged 1.93 lakh cusecs of water.
This sudden and heavy outflow of water has made the water enter the agriculture fields of Araladinni, Yelgur, Holemasuti and Kashinakunti village where farmers have cultivated sugarcane or toor.
The farmers now fear that the excess water, if stagnant for long, will damage the crop extensively.
The residents, mainly of the villages that are located close the river are now in a grip of fear after the water level is steadily rising.
The water is just about 50 metres away from Holemasuti village in Muddebihal taluk. The water has already flooded the agriculture land of many villagers here.
The farmers, who have been facing this problem for years, now demand the government declare their fields as permanently submerged and offer compensation.
“So far, the department of revenue is offering between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 4,000 per acre as compensation to the loss caused by flood. This amount is too meagre. We want the government to enhance the money, else simply declare the land submerged and give adequate compensation,” said Shekharappa Tubake, one of the farmers of Yelgur village, who crop is under water now.
The situation in Jamkhandi taluk of Bagalkot district is also no different where the backwater of Almatti dam has entered fields.
The water is overflowing in Chikkapadasalagi barrage in Jamkhandi taluk which had gone completely dry in the last summer.
