Bengaluru – Water available in various reservoirs of Karnataka is enough only to supply drinking water to major cities and towns for the next 60 days, Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil said yesterday.

“We have been monitoring the situation twice a week and as of today, we have sufficient stock of water to last for the next two months. But this can meet only the potable water demand and nothing else. There is no reasons to panic as all dams have enough water,” the Minister told media persons after a meeting with Water and  Irrigation Officials.

The meeting was held to review the water storage position in the State’s reservoirs. “However, we sincerely appeal to water supplying agencies to decide whether to ration the allocation made to them or not,” Patil said. He appealed to farmers to voluntarily stop using irrigation pump sets as going by the current reservoir levels, the State cannot afford water for the second crop.

“A total of 7.748 tmcft of water (live storage) is available at the KRS and the Kabini reservoirs in the Cauvery basin. Bengaluru alone needs an estimated 4.14 tmcft of water for the next two months. We are confident of ensuring water supply to Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and others towns in the Cauvery basin region for the next  60 days,” he said.

“With optimum utilisation, judicious use of water and proper planning and coordination, the Water Resources Department will ensure that drinking water crisis does not arise. Despite drought, the third consecutive one, our priority is to ensure that drinking water supply to cities, multi-village schemes and towns from our dams is not affected,” the Minister said.

CLOUD SEEDING

The State Government has started preparations for conducting cloud seeding in June. While the monsoon winds will start blowing from June, cloud seeding will be done irrespective of whether it rains or not. Last year, cloud seeding could not   be done due to lack of preparations on the part of the Government, he said.

NO WATER FOR TN

Tamil Nadu is making efforts to squeeze every drop of water from Karnataka’s Cauvery basin. While the Karnataka Govt. has been rejecting Tamil Nadu’s pleas at all levels, yesterday too Karnataka said it will not release water to Tamil Nadu.

“We are not in a position to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as the availability is just enough for the State’s drinking water needs. We have submitted our clarification to Supreme Court in this regard,” Patil said.

KRS water level 75.10 ft

The Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir has shrunk into a lake owing to the failure of monsoon for the last three years. The water level was 75.10 ft. at 6 am today as against the level of 81.17 ft. on the corresponding day last year. The maximum capacity of the reservoir is 124.80 ft. and the ‘Dead Storage’ level is 74 ft.

The live storage (usable water) stood at just 0.535 tmcft as against its maximum capacity of 49.45 tmcft. Inflow into the reservoir was at the rate of just 251 cusecs and the outflow was at 870 cusecs today. The outflow is to meet the drinking water requirements of Bengaluru, parts of Bengaluru Rural, Mysuru, Mandya and parts of Ramanagaram districts. Last year, on this day, the outflow was 1,203 cusecs.

WATCH: Water Situation at the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam grim!