Belagavi
The Government is worried about the dipping water levels in River Krishna, which is the lifeline of Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts. Considering the alarming situation, the Belagavi regional commissioner has instructed the authorities to utilise available water only for drinking purposes. However, the instruction of the Regional Commissioner is likely to create problems for agriculture and horticulture farmers in the catchment area.
Sugarcane is being grown on thousands of hectares of land in Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijayapur districts. Farmers are worried about crops drying up, especially sugarcane and cowpea, which are grown in thousands of hectares of land in and around Athani, Kagawad, Raibag, Chikodi, and Nipani in Belagavi district. Crops are withering in the scorching weather. Dependent on Krishna river water, farmers are worried about saving their crops.
Krishna river is the source of drinking water for the people of many towns in Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts. As Krishna river is drying up, it is feared that the shortage of drinking water will become severe in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the water level in Hipparagi barrage has dropped drastically. Last year, on the same day, the barrage had live storage of 4.49 tmcft, while this year, the live storage recorded is 1.58 tmcft.
Jamakhandi taluk of Bagalkot district, Athani and Kagawad taluk of Belagavi district are the main beneficiaries of Hipparagi irrigation project. Culturable command area of Hipparagi Barrage is 74,742 hectares. The barrage impounds 6 tmcft of water and two foreshores lift irrigation schemes on the left bank of Halyal and Ainapur village of Athani taluk, in Belagavi district.
The water earmarked for irrigation and drinking water as of now is not sufficient to meet the requirement during the summer season.
