Meagre inflow causes concern

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, MARCH 13. The water level in the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in Mandya District is receding rapidly. The inflow into the dam on Tuesday was only 326 cusecs, according to sources.

Against the maximum storage level of 124.80 feet in the KRS, the water level on Tuesday was 98.44 feet. According to sources, the water level is depleting each day.

The inflow during the corresponding period last year was 420 cusecs and the outflow 957 cusecs. The outflow on Tuesday was only 526 cusecs. The total withdrawal from the reservoir this year was 2,696 cusecs compared with 2,836 cusecs in the corresponding period last year.

However, the situation with regard to the water level in Kabini and Harangi reservoirs is not alarming. The water level in the Kabini reservoir was 2,274.85 feet as against the maximum level of 2,284 feet.

The inflow was 382 cusecs while the outflow was 800 cusecs. In the Harangi reservoir, the water level was 2,299.99 feet. The inflow was only 25 cusecs and the outflow 10 cusecs.

However, sources in the Irrigation Department said it was too early to foretell if the situation would escalate to a water crisis after a few days. They claimed that the department was strictly following the ``on-off'' method of water release for crops.

They said that as per the method, water was released for crops for 15 days, depending on availability, and stopped for 10 days to store water till the onset of monsoon.

Sources said release of water was likely to be stopped on March 18 by when the water level would have depleted further.

Meanwhile, authorities in Mysore said they were geared up to meet any scarcity of water though the standard practice of ``lifting water'' from the canal beds continues despite a warning given by farmers from Mandya during the water crisis in Mysore last summer.

The farmers said at that time that officials should not draw water from the canals for supplying drinking water to cities and towns.

They locked up the Hongalli pumping station which led to a prolonged dry spell in Mysore and acrimony between the people of Mysore and Mandya.

Sources said that water supply to Mysore would not be a problem to ponder over as long as the water level in the KRS did not fall to the ``critical level'' of 73 feet. Last summer, the water level declined to less than 70 feet, or ``dead storage level'', causing a crisis.

Sources said the Government gave an assurance to farmers last year, and the administration was hoping that there would not be any crisis this year.

The new pipelines which were laid to draw water from the river bed to the Hongalli pumping station are expected to help meet any emergency.

Mysore receives water from the Right Bank Low Level (RBLL) canal, and water is treated and pumped from the Hongalli pumping station.

Water is visible only at a distant horizon from the KRS. The tourists who enjoyed the sight of the gushing waters during the peak storage level are disappointed to witness a tiny stream of water cascading though the crest gates and into the canals beyond.

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Section  : Southern States
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