The crop pattern along the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC) that irrigates around 6 lakh acres in Koppal and Raichur districts has changed over the last decade. Earlier, the whole chunk of the irrigated belt grew paddy. Owing to growing scarcity of water, farmers at the tail-end sections such as parts of Manvi and Raichur taluks have now switched to alternative crops such as red gram, cotton and chilli that require less water.
On the other hand, the area under paddy cultivation has expanded in Karatagi, Munirabad, and Gangavati areas in Koppal district, and Sindhanur taluk in Raichur district.
Around 1.75 lakh acres of rain-fed lands along these areas are estimated to have been converted into irrigation lands by “illegally” using TLBC water to grow paddy. “Illegal drawing of water at the upper reaches of TLBC, particularly in Gangavati taluk, for irrigating unauthorised lands has deprived the farmers at the lower reaches, particularly in Manvi and Raichur taluks in Raichur district, of their legitimate share of water for their authorised lands,” said Chamarasa Malipatil, the State president of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha.
D. Veeranagowda, leader of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, said the organisation plans to mobilise farmers from TLBC tail-end areas in Manvi on July 14 in a rally for pressurising the government to address the issue on a priority basis. “Bending to pressure from political leaders and mighty landlords at the upper reaches, the officials of the Water Resources Department do not take action against the water theft,” he said.
