Mysuru: Mysuru district recorded 53% rainfall deficiency during June, the first month of the southwest monsoon kharif season. The district also registered 43% sowing so far, against the targeted 2.8 lakh hectares of rain-fed land. The shortfall in rain will not only impact standing crops but could also lead to a drinking water crisis in the coming months, if the district fails to receive showers.Among the 2,991 major, minor lakes maintained by various departments in the district, only 29 are filled, while 281 have dried up. Among the 2,556 lakes under the zilla panchayat, 242 have dried up completely, only 30% water is available in 718 lakes, and 50% water in 1,278 lakes.Of the 50 lakes maintained by the minor irrigation department, 9 dried up completely. Of the 353 lakes maintained by major water resources department, 30 dried up this year in Mysuru district, raising serious concern of a drinking water crisis and depletion of groundwater level.During the month of June, Mysuru district received 38.1mm rain against 81.9mm of rain in the previous year.From Jan to the end of June, this year, the district received 172mm rain against 287.1 mm with a scarcity of 40% of rain.During the pre-monsoon months, the district registered 85% less rain in April, and 23% less in May, according to agriculture department sources. Both KRS and Kabini reservoirs witnessed critically low storage levels of water due to poor rainfall in catchment areas. The current water level of KRS stands at 80.5 feet against a maximum reservoir storage level of 124.8 feet.Speaking to TOI, joint director of agriculture KH Ravi said that the district registered only 43% progress in crop sowing so far due to deficit rains in the district.Deputy commissioner G Lakshmikanth Reddy said that even though the state govt has not declared the district as drought-hit, directions have been given to zilla panchayat officials to take up drought relief measures. As the reservoirs are nearing dead storage levels with poor inflow, creating concern among officials and residents, the district administration advised farmers to grow water-resistant millet crops this year, he said.
