The activists of the Bhadra Achukattu Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti, an organisation of the farmers of command area of Bhadra reservoir, staged a protest infront the office of the Bhadra Command Area Development Authority(CADA) in Malavagoppa on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday demanding release of water from the reservoir into canals on an on and off basis.
It may be mentioned here that the Irrigation Consultative Committee(ICC) of the Bhadra CADA had decided to release water continuously along the canals for kharif crops for a period of 100 days from July 25.
Addressing the protest meet, Yogish, Zilla Panchayat member, said that the water storage in the reservoir was not on expected level this year owing to sluggish monsoon.
Instead of releasing the water continuously, it is necessary to adopt an on-and-off system to save water for the standing crops in the ensuing summer, he said.
He pressed for convening the meeting of ICC at the earliest to modify the schedule of the release of water. The release of water should be stopped for a few days in the months of September and October, he said.
The agitators also raised slogans demanding the CADA to undertake maintenance work along the canals regularly that includes clearing weeds and strengthening the bunds and concrete linings that have become weak.
Working president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha K.T. Gangadhar also took part in the protest.
Vehicular movement along National Highway 206 near Malavagoppa was disrupted for a while owing to the protest.
