Mandya: Farmers and pro-farmer organisations staged protests in Mandya Wednesday against the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) recommendation to release 4,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.Farmers questioned the recommendation at a time when several parts of the region are facing concerns over drinking water availability. They said Karnataka should first ensure adequate water for its own drinking and agricultural requirements before releasing water to the neighbouring state.Farmers and members of various organisations blocked the old Mysuru-Bengaluru highway at Sanjay Circle in Mandya, disrupting traffic for some time. Protesters alleged that repeated directions on Cauvery water releases were placing an additional burden on Karnataka’s farmers and residents. They demanded that the state govt take a firm stand before the CWMA and other Cauvery water-sharing authorities and safeguard Karnataka’s drinking water and irrigation requirements.Tension prevailed as farmers gathered in large numbers. Police personnel were deployed to regulate traffic and maintain order. Protesters warned that demonstrations would continue if water was released to Tamil Nadu despite Karnataka’s concerns.As of Thursday, the water level at KRS dam was 105.7 ft against its maximum capacity of 124.8 ft. Inflow was 2,546 cusecs, while outflow was 4,078 cusecs.
