Farmers Protest Water Release to Telangana, Rally Planned ( Today ) February 28

Vijayapura: Farmers in Karnataka have strongly opposed the state government’s decision to release 1.24 TMCFT of water to Telangana, arguing it could lead to shortages in the summer. The move comes despite directives from MLAs in the Krishna basin to store water in the Almatti reservoir until June for drinking purposes.

Karnataka reportedly released 1 TMCFT from the Almatti and Narayanpur reservoirs following a request from Telangana. The water, initially stored for summer, was diverted to the Gugal Barrage and then to a dam in Ranga Reddy district.

D. Basavaraj, Chief Engineer of the Almatti dam, confirmed the release through the Narayanpur dam. “We acted on government orders. Telangana requested 5 TMCFT for drinking purposes, but due to limited availability, only 1 TMCFT was released,” he stated.

Farmer organizations, including the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), have condemned the decision, warning of potential shortages during peak summer months. BKS secretary Raghavendra Kamanatagi accused Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar of prioritizing Telangana’s request despite strong objections.

In response, the Akhand Karnataka Raitha Sangha has announced a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office on February 28 to demand reconsideration.

Amid the backlash, the Karnataka government defended its decision, citing mutual agreements and diplomatic goodwill with neighboring states. APMC Minister Shivanand Patil justified the move, recalling instances where Maharashtra released water into the Krishna and Bhima rivers to address Karnataka’s drinking needs.

According to official data, Almatti reservoir currently holds 50.463 TMCFT of water, with a live storage of 32.843 TMCFT. On Thursday, the total discharge from the reservoir was recorded at 10,475 cusecs.

With summer approaching, tensions continue to rise, as farmers fear further depletion of water resources. The upcoming protest is expected to intensify pressure on the government to reconsider its stance.