Minister has instructed officials to reserve 15 TMC of water for drinking purposes until the end of June
Karnataka minister Laxmi Hebbalkar (Photo by arrangement)
Belagavi: Responding to persistent demands from farmers, Minister for Women and Child Development Laxmi Hebbalkar, who also chairs the Malaprabha Project Irrigation Advisory Committee, has directed the continuation of water release from the Malaprabha reservoir to irrigation canals until March 1.
This decision overturns an earlier plan to halt the supply on February 15, following appeals from farmers and legislators from Nargund and Badami. The move ensures that irrigation water will continue to flow for an additional two weeks, addressing concerns raised despite the official conclusion of both the monsoon and rabi cropping seasons.
During a review meeting chaired by Hebbalkar on October 15, officials, legislators, and farmer representatives assessed water availability. A total of 30.842 TMC of water was allocated for irrigation in the 2024-25 season—14.87 TMC for the monsoon crop and 16 TMC for the rabi crop. Of this, 16 TMC had already been released through canals until February 14.
Although both cropping seasons had officially ended, farmers urged the government to extend water supply until March 15. In response, the Minister decided to continue the flow until March 1.
Additionally, Hebbalkar has instructed officials to reserve 15 TMC of water for drinking purposes until the end of June. Deputy Commissioners, Zilla Panchayat CEOs, and minor irrigation officials have been directed to ensure local tanks are filled with drinking water by March 1 to mitigate shortages.
With rising temperatures and increasing water demand, V.S. Madhukar, superintending engineer of Navilu Tirtha and secretary of the Malaprabha Project Irrigation Advisory Committee, has emphasized the need for judicious water use. He also expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved in implementing the decision.
This decision overturns an earlier plan to halt the supply on February 15, following appeals from farmers and legislators from Nargund and Badami. The move ensures that irrigation water will continue to flow for an additional two weeks, addressing concerns raised despite the official conclusion of both the monsoon and rabi cropping seasons.
During a review meeting chaired by Hebbalkar on October 15, officials, legislators, and farmer representatives assessed water availability. A total of 30.842 TMC of water was allocated for irrigation in the 2024-25 season—14.87 TMC for the monsoon crop and 16 TMC for the rabi crop. Of this, 16 TMC had already been released through canals until February 14.
Although both cropping seasons had officially ended, farmers urged the government to extend water supply until March 15. In response, the Minister decided to continue the flow until March 1.
Additionally, Hebbalkar has instructed officials to reserve 15 TMC of water for drinking purposes until the end of June. Deputy Commissioners, Zilla Panchayat CEOs, and minor irrigation officials have been directed to ensure local tanks are filled with drinking water by March 1 to mitigate shortages.
With rising temperatures and increasing water demand, V.S. Madhukar, superintending engineer of Navilu Tirtha and secretary of the Malaprabha Project Irrigation Advisory Committee, has emphasized the need for judicious water use. He also expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved in implementing the decision.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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