The Hindu : Karnataka News : `Release water into canal till month-end'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 24, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Others

`Release water into canal till month-end'

By Our Staff Correspondent

KOPPAL, MARCH 23. Members of the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal Farmers' Hitarakshana Samiti staged a rasta roko at Munirabad on Wednesday demanding the release of water into the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC) till the end of March.

The tail-end farmers of the Vijayanagar channels of Gangavathi taluk and parts of Hospet taluk also staged a rasta roko agitation near Hulgi village in Koppal district demanding stoppage of water into the TLBC and continue water supply in the Vijayanagar channels till May 20.

Dharnas

For the past week, activists of both the groups have staged dharnas in front of the office of the Chief Engineer of the Irrigation Central Zone, Munirabad, urging the authorities concerned to concede their demands.

Nearly 1,000 activists of the samiti, who staged a rasta roko at Munirabad, stopped traffic on National Highway 13 till evening.

They urged the department to release water into the TLBC till the end of March to save standing crops in Koppal and Gangavathi taluks.

Threat

About 500 tail-end farmers under the Vijayanagar channel, who staged a rasta roko near Hulgi village, threatened to intensify their stir if the department allowed water into the TLBC.

They urged the department to maintain adequate storage at the reservoir to feed water into the Vijayanagar channel till May 20.

V.P. Udyal, Chief Engineer of Munirabad, held a meeting with officials of his department and also with the Koppal Deputy Commissioner, G.L. Chandrashekaraiah, to find solutions to the problems faced by the farmers under the TLBC and Vijayanagar channels.

Deadline

The deadline for water supply into the TLBC ended on March 20 and the discharge has been reduced. Water supply was to be maintained till May 20 in Vijayanagar channel.

The meeting decided not to release any water into the TLBC owing to poor storage at the reservoir.

Later, both the agitating groups of farmers returned to Munirabad and continued their dharna.

However, a group of activists from the samiti gheraoed the officials at the Chief Engineer's office when they came to know that the meeting has decided to suspend water supply in the TLBC.

The situation was brought under control after the police intervened.

Mr. Udyal appealed to the farmers to end their stir, as their problems will be discussed with the Government.

He said that the Government would also look into the possibility of getting additional water from the Bhadra reservoir.

The water supply in the TLBC would be resumed if water was released from the Bhadra, he said.

Activists of both the groups withdrew their dharna when Mr. Udyal assured to look into their problems on priority.

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