Water Crisis in Mandya District: Government Decision Puts Farmers in Per

Mandya: The heartland of Mandya's agrarian landscape, the KRS Dam, is witnessing a gradual depletion of waters, spelling trouble for millions of dependent farmers. As the reservoir water dwindles, the government has taken the unprecedented step of instructing farmers to abstain from cultivating summer crops, leaving the agricultural community in a state of distress.

This decision refrains from watering canals essential for summer crops, compounding the challenges faced by farmers in Mandya district. The KRS Reservoir, located in Srirangapatna Taluk, serves as the lifeline for the region's farmers, who entrust their livelihoods to this vital water source. Unfortunately, the severe drought and inadequate rainfall in the reservoir's catchment area have prevented it from reaching full capacity. Consequently, to sustain existing crops, canal irrigation was permitted through the cut method. However, with the harvest of most sugarcane and paddy crops, the water supply to canals has ceased.

In light of the depleting water levels, the government has opted not to release water for summer crops, reserving the remaining resources for drinking water needs. The Agriculture Minister Cheluvaraya Swamy has earnestly appealed to farmers to refrain from planting crops during this challenging period.

The KRS Reservoir, with a water storage capacity of 124.80 feet, currently holds 96.92 feet of water. Calculating the Total Million Cubic (TMC) feet, there is 20.491 TMC of water storage, with 4 TMC allocated to dead storage, leaving only 16 TMC. Additionally, the reservoir must supply drinking water to cities like Bangalore, Mandya, and Mysore, which collectively require 2 TMC of water monthly until June. The Cauvery Irrigation Advisory Committee, recognizing these constraints, convened a meeting and resolved not to allocate Cauvery water for summer crops.

The decision has elicited strong reactions from the district's farmers, who assert that if water not released to Tamilnadu farmers could be benefitted. They express dismay over the government's prior release of water to farmers when the reservoir was at a height of 76 feet.

The overall impact of this governmental decision has raised poignant questions among farmers, challenging the feasibility of crop cultivation in the face of water scarcity. The repercussions of this directive are likely to unfold as the agricultural community navigates this unprecedented challenge.