Karnataka - Mysore

Water to be released from KRS any time

— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

To capacity: The KRS reservoir near Mysore is almost full to the brim.

MYSORE: The flood gates of Krishnaraja Sagar dam, near Mysore, might open any moment with the inflow into the dam crossing 50,000 cusecs on Tuesday.

Due to incessant rain in the dam’s catchment areas in Kodagu district, the inflow has gone up substantially in the last four days and the water-level is almost touching the full reservoir level (FRL) of 124.8 ft. The level on Tuesday stood at 122 ft.

Even Kabini and Harangi dams in the Cauvery basin are full and excess water is being released from these dams. “In view of the safety of the dam, excess water will be discharged from KRS dam any time and hence the authorities concerned have been told to caution the people living on the riverbanks of Cauvery to shift to safer places,” the chief engineer of the Cauvery Niravari Nigama, said.

At a press conference here, the chief engineer said 23,000 cusecs and 11,000 cusecs were being released from Kabini and Harangi dams, respectively. “The people living on the banks of Cauvery and Kapila rivers have been asked to move to safer places,” the release said.

Last year, the Ranganatittu Bird Sanctuary was flooded when over 80,000 cusecs was discharged into the river from the dam and the sanctuary was closed for visitors.

Boating was also cancelled in view of the safety of the visitors.

In all probability, if the outflow crosses 50,000 cusecs, the sanctuary will be closed for visitors and boating will be suspended till further orders.

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