Reddy urged farmers not to rely on dam water for sowing, as release depends on reservoir levels improving
Shivamogga
Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that water in the Bhadra reservoir will be reserved only for drinking purposes, as the current storage situation is worrying in its long history. He visited the Bhadra reservoir in Shivamogga district and reviewed the water level and conditions. He held a meeting with officials and said priority must be given to drinking water supply even though rains are expected in the coming days.
He said the Bhadra reservoir is a key drinking water source for many districts of Central Karnataka and the available water should be used carefully. He instructed officials to use it only for drinking supply and not for irrigation at present. He also said the Bhadra Upper River Project has been declared a national project and the central government had promised Rs 5,300 crore in assistance. The state government has already spent more than Rs 12,000 crore on the project and continues to seek funds in stages.
Reddy appealed to farmers not to depend on dam water for sowing crops and said a decision on releasing water for agriculture will be taken only after the reservoir level improves. He said other major reservoirs in the state are also facing similar low storage conditions. He also spoke about the Special Intensive Revision process, saying it is handled by the Election Commission and the state government has no direct role. He added that officials should not be transferred for minor lapses in such processes.
He said that despite delays in central assistance, the state government has not stopped work on major projects and continues to spend on water infrastructure. He mentioned other projects like Hogenakkal, Mahadayi and Krishna river schemes and said the government is committed to drinking water supply. He urged people to cooperate with the administration during the current shortage situation and avoid unnecessary agricultural dependence on reservoir water. He also said that the final decision on water release will depend on rainfall and storage improvement in the coming days. The meeting ended with assurance of continued monitoring and planning for water security for future needs.