Mandya: The activists of Raitha Sangha staged a dharna at the office of Cauvery Neeravari Nigama here on March 2. They were demanding immediate release of water from Krishna Raja Sagara to irrigate the standing crops.
The activists, who were assembled in front of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Executive Engineer’s office, insisted on immediate implementation of the promises made by the Chief Minister of Karnataka on water supply for irrigation.
In the last three years, the region has witnessed lower than normal rainfall. Farmers were unable to grow crops due to water scarcity.
The ground in Mandya cannot retain much water as the district has a dry climate and sandy soil. Moreover, many farmers have sown paddy in their fields in summer. The plants have started wilting under the scorching sun.
Irrigation department had announced that stoppage of water would be limited to only 10 days. However, water supply in the Visvesvaraya canal has stopped for 15 days, they complained.
The activists demanded resumption of water supply to save farmers. The government would be responsible for the crop loss, they said.
