Mysore/Mysuru: Deputy Chief Minister (Dy.CM) and Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar has directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of Mandya and Mysuru districts, along with the Managing Director (MD) of Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL), to carry out a comprehensive survey of the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS)  Dam backwaters.

Officials have been instructed to identify and clear all encroachments, mark boundary stones and submit a detailed report.

The directive comes in response to concerns raised by Congress MLA Ramesh Babu Bandisiddegowda and MLC Dinesh Gooligowda over the unchecked growth of luxury resorts and unauthorised constructions in the backwater region. These encroachments are said to have reduced the Dam’s water-holding capacity, affecting irrigation and drinking water supply.

Worsening water scarcity

The KRS backwater region covers around 26,640 acres, supporting irrigation across nearly 2.76 lakh acres in Mandya and Mysuru districts. The reservoir supplies 1.579 tmcft of drinking water to Mysuru city and caters to Bengaluru and other towns in the Cauvery basin, besides facilitating power generation. However, increasing encroachments have considerably shrunk the storage area, worsening water scarcity during dry spells.

In view of this, the Dy.CM has asked the Deputy Commissioners, along with officials from the Revenue, Land Records, Tourism Departments and Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC), to undertake a joint survey.

If encroachments are found, they must be cleared immediately. Permanent boundary stones and signage are to be installed along the 130-foot contour line of the reservoir to demarcate its limits. To prevent further violations, Legislators have sought the setting up of a dedicated monitoring system.

Agri land into resorts

Encroachments have reportedly been detected in Srirangapatna, Pandavapura and K.R. Pet taluks of Mandya district, as well as K.R. Nagar, Mysuru and Hunsur taluks of Mysuru district. Legislators allege that landowners along the reservoir’s edge have illegally converted agricultural land into resorts, undermining the Dam’s capacity and ecological balance.

They have recommended creating a ‘watch and ward’ system involving the Police Department and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to monitor illegal activities in the backwater zone.

The diminished storage has severely impacted farmers in Malavalli, Maddur and canal tail-end regions, who depend heavily on KRS water for irrigation.