Scores of farmers protesting against the continued release of water to Tamil Nadu by blocking traffic movement on the National Highway at T. Narsipur near here, were arrested and later released.
The farmers, who had gathered under the aegis of Federation of Karnataka State Farmers’ Associations and State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, blocked the National Highway passing through T. Narispur to voice their protest against the release of water to Tamil Nadu from Kabini and KRS reservoirs built across Cauvery river in Karnataka.
The protesting farmers sought an immediate halt to the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and shouted slogans against the State government for failing to protect the interests of farmers. Farmers’ leader Attihalli Devaraj, who spoke on the occasion, urged the government to release water to the irrigation canals so farmers in the State can sow paddy.
A statement from the farmers’ association said the demonstration on the National Highway in T. Narsipur continued for about an hour and the police arrested the protesting farmers in view of inconvenience to the vehicular traffic. The arrested farmers were later released.
Express concern
Various farmers’ organisations have also expressed concern over the depleting water level in KRS and Kabini reservoirs ever since Karnataka started releasing water to Tamil Nadu.
The water level in KRS reservoir, which stood at 113.12 ft. against the full reservoir level of 124.80 ft. on August 10, had come down to 107.66 ft. at 8 a.m. on Saturday, August 19. While the inflow stood at 2,349 cusecs at 8 a.m. on Saturday, the outflow was 15,576 cusecs including 12,960 cusecs released to the river and the remaining to the irrigation canals.
The water level in Kabini stood at 2281.99 ft. above sea level against the maximum level of 2,284 ft. on August 10. At 8 a.m. on Saturday, August 19, the water level in Kabini had reached 2277.82 feet with an inflow of 1,764 cusecs and outflow of 7,325 cusecs including 5,000 cusecs to the river and 2,325 cusecs to the irrigation canals.
