Mysuru: Water resources officials Tuesday assured that water will be released from the Kabini reservoir to canals to fill up the lakes in the area from Feb 15 onwards, following a protest staged by farmers here.The agitation, led by Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj, the state president of Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, began at Kuvempu Park before farmers marched in large numbers to the Cauvery Command Area Development Authority office.
Protesters raised slogans against elected representatives, the district in-charge minister H C Mahadevappa, and irrigation minister D K Shivakumar, accusing them of negligence and indifference towards the farming community. Addressing the gathering, Bhagyaraj alleged that the govt and district administration had failed to ensure water supply to the Kabini, Hullalli, and Rampura canals, leaving thousands of acres of standing crops in distress. He criticised the district in-charge minister for not showing the same urgency as leaders in neighbouring Mandya district, who successfully secured water release for their farmers. Farmers highlighted that coconut, banana, and sugarcane crops were wilting due to depleting groundwater levels and erratic power supply, worsening their financial burden. The protesters demanded immediate repair of water-lifting machinery, filling all lakes to recharge groundwater, and budgetary allocation for new lake-filling projects. They also demanded formation of a joint inspection team comprising officials and farmers to monitor the quality of ongoing canal works.
