Mandya: Water will be provided for kharif crops from KRS dam starting Tuesday. A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting of the irrigation consultative committee held at the Cauvery Hall in KRS on Monday. District minister N Cheluvarayaswamy, who chaired the meeting, said abundant rainfall in the Cauvery basin presents a prime opportunity to prioritise filling lakes and tanks, ensuring long-term benefits for farmers. He directed officials to ensure water reaches tail-end lakes in taluks to address agricultural needs effectively.With KRS reservoir at its maximum capacity, the minister stressed the importance of proactive measures to prevent complaints from farmers, elected representatives, and organisations regarding water shortage for irrigation. “Officials must work diligently to ensure no grievances arise,” he said, and sought careful management of water distribution.Cheluvarayaswamy said there is no shortage of funds for desilting lakes and maintaining them. He directed the officials to collaborate with local MLAs to secure funding and expedite lake maintenance projects. Srirangapatna MLA Ramesh Babu Bandisiddegowda said there are currently no issues with water for agriculture. However, he emphasised the need to plan for water requirements for summer crops to ensure sustained agricultural productivity.DC Kumara provided a detailed overview of water inflow and release data for the KRS dam over the past decade, underscoring the reservoir’s critical role in the region’s irrigation network.
