From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Aug 9: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has agreed to release Cauvery water from the four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin to meet the drinking water needs of people and also to ensure recharging of groundwater.

However, the Chief Minister has appealed to the farmers in the Cauvery basin districts, especially Mandya, not to take up water intensive paddy crop by starting sowing operations.

Talking to reporters at his home office of Krishna on Wednesday after a meeting with legislators, representatives of farmers and also officials from the Water Resources Department with his Cabinet colleagues, he said the State Government would not be able to meet the requirements of farmers if they took up paddy cultivation.

“Our first priority is to ensure drinking water to people and also ensure that groundwater is recharged sufficiently,’’ he said.

The Chief Minister said the State was staring at the grim prospects of a drought for the fourth consecutive year and pointed out that Karnataka was witnessing an unprecedented shortfall of water for the first time in five decades.

While the State was faced with drought conditions last year and also had drought in two previous years, he said the situation was not as bad as it is at present especially when the monsoon season is yet to be over.

The Chief Minister said there was 53 TMC of water in the four Cauvery reservoirs but this year there was only 45 TMC of water.

"We are not asking you not to sow at all. We want farmers to not take up paddy sowing," said the Chief Minister. 

Asking farmers to cooperate, Siddaramaiah said the State Government was on their side.

Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister M B Patil, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and others attended the meeting.