Water levels in state reservoirs decline, raising concerns over water scarcity

Bengaluru: Due to the lack of southwest monsoon rains, water levels in all 14 major reservoirs in state have significantly decreased, leading to a severe water scarcity crisis in the state. As of October 27, the overall water capacity in these dams was only 56 percent of their total capacity. This leaves just 502 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic) feet of water available for use until the next monsoon season in 2024, covering agricultural, domestic, and industrial needs for the next eight months. Government officials consider the situation to be grave, with the water crisis expected to intensify in the coming months.

According to a report, the Krishna basin's dams currently have 63 percent storage, which should suffice for the population of North Karnataka. However, the Cauvery basin is under immense pressure, with no inflow and a daily release of 8,117 cusecs of water.

Dams like Harangi, Hemavati, Kabini, and KRS have a total storage capacity of 114.6 TMC feet, but they only hold 61.6 TMC feet of water. Of this, 34 TMC feet are allocated for domestic and industrial use. If the rain doesn't pick up in the coming days, this could pose significant challenges, particularly for farmers and agriculture.

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecasted good rains after October 30, according to a government official. Though the water levels in the reservoirs are currently low, the government believes there is no immediate danger. However, there may be challenges at the end of the cropping season. Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has instructed officials to ensure there are no issues with the distribution of drinking water.

Additionally, the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj has initiated bi-weekly monitoring of the water situation for rural water supply. Instructions have also been issued to Zilla Panchayat CEOs to implement local water harvesting initiatives in drought-prone districts to meet the demand for drinking water.