Farmers depending on the right upper bank canal of the Hemavati Reservoir were cheerful on Friday after water was released from the reservoir to the canal benefiting over 56,000 acres of land. For the first time since the canal was constructed in 1989, water flowed into the canal in June. All these years, water was released to the canal only in July or August.
A.T. Ramaswamy, Arakalgudu MLA, offered bagina as water was released to the canal.
Use water prudently, he says
“Last year on this day water available in the reservoir was only 8 tmcft. Today 20.5 tmcft of water has been stored in the reservoir. If the level dips, it will not be possible to release to the right upper bank canal. I had written to the State government to release water to the canal immediately. The Minister for Public Works gave order for the release of water,” he said. The MLA appealed to the farmers to use water judiciously.
Senior officers of the Water Resources Department and people’s representatives were present.