Pic: Shivaraj Tangadagi cites CWC decision and dam safety concernsKoppal: District in-charge minister Shivaraj Tangadagi on Saturday clarified that water from the Tungabhadra reservoir in Munirabad, Koppal taluk, cannot be released for the winter crop this year. The decision, he said, was made by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Tungabhadra Board at the onset of the monsoon to permit water allocation for only one crop season.Speaking to reporters after attending the Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations, Tangadagi, who also chairs the Irrigation Consultative Committee (ICC), emphasised that the directive was not his personal decision but one taken by the CWC. “Opposition parties have been protesting and demanding water for the second crop. However, it is not within my power to release it. The CWC has restricted allocation to one crop. Instead of misleading farmers, the opposition should appeal to the CWC and the Union govt. We, too, will take up the issue with them,” he stated.The minister explained that cultivating a single crop season requires about 60 tmcft of water, while the current storage in the reservoir stands at 80 tmcft. Of this, Karnataka has been allotted only 52 tmcft. “Nearly 10 tmcft of the allocated water cannot be used for irrigation, as it is reserved for drinking water, evaporation losses, dead storage, and other system requirements,” he said.Tangadagi further noted that Andhra Pradesh has already sought the release of its share of water by the end of Nov. “We are obligated to release their portion, and under these circumstances, the opposition should refrain from creating false expectations. We will also explain the situation to the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana govts,” he added.Warning of a potential drinking water crisis, the minister cautioned, “If we release water now for the winter crop, there will be severe shortages after Feb. People could face drinking water scarcity.”A review meeting on water management will be held on Nov 5, and the Tungabhadra Board has scheduled another for Nov 21. The state govt is also planning a meeting under the chairmanship of the deputy chief minister on Nov 9 or 10. “We are hopeful that a solution will emerge,” Tangadagi said.On dam safety, the minister revealed that the Tungabhadra Board would begin installing new crest gates from the first week of Dec. “Each gate’s removal and replacement will take at least 15 days. Dedicated teams will be formed for this task, and technicians estimate that the complete installation will take around six months,” he explained.“If the reservoir level drops to 1,613 feet by Dec, the crest gate work will begin. If not, we will have to discharge water through canals and rivers to proceed. The opposition must understand that the safety of the dam takes precedence over all other concerns,” Tangadagi said.
