Karnataka’s Water Release Delay Raises Crop Concerns in Mahbubnagar as Jurala Reservoir Level Falls
Farmers in the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district are expressing concern over the declining water levels in the Jurala project as adequate Krishna River water is reportedly not being released from the Narayanpur project in Karnataka.
Mahbubnagar: Farmers in the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district are expressing concern over the declining water levels in the Jurala project as adequate Krishna River water is reportedly not being released from the Narayanpur project in Karnataka.
The Jurala reservoir currently has only around 4.5 TMC of water storage, while farmers say at least 5 to 6 TMC is required to protect the crops already sown in the region. With water availability declining, farmers fear that standing crops could suffer if fresh inflows are not ensured soon.
The issue has caused anxiety among farmers dependent on the Krishna waters for irrigation. Farmer unions have alleged that Karnataka has not been releasing sufficient water from the Narayanpur project towards Jurala.
The Telangana government has stated that around 27,600 cusecs of water were released from Narayanpur to Jurala between September 24 and October 1. However, farmer organisations have disputed the claim, alleging that the inflows received during the period were mainly due to rainfall in the upper catchment areas.
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According to the farmer unions, despite the reported inflows, the gates of the Narayanpur project were not opened adequately to facilitate the release of water towards Jurala.
Farmers have alleged that objections from farmer organisations in Karnataka have also contributed to the delay in releasing water to Telangana. They have appealed to the authorities to take immediate steps to ensure sufficient Krishna water reaches Jurala.
The declining reservoir levels have raised concerns over the survival of crops cultivated across parts of the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district. Farmers fear that continued uncertainty over water supply could leave their crops vulnerable to drying up.
Farmer organisations are demanding that the governments of Telangana and Karnataka coordinate over the issue and ensure the release of the required water to Jurala to protect standing crops.
