If water is only meant for drinking, how can authorities allow this illegality, question farmers

Srirangapatna: Amidst a severe drinking water crisis in the Cauvery belt, including Kodagu, Mysuru, Mandya and Bengaluru, due to dwindling water levels at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam, cases of water theft are emerging from the Dam. Continuous pumping of water from the Dam is observed to fill water tankers for carrying out development and modernisation works for the Visvesvaraya Canal (VC Canal).

Typically, water is pumped with two to three diesel motors into three to five tankers simultaneously, which transport it to the site of the canal works.

These tankers make multiple trips within one hour, returning to the Dam after emptying their contents. This process of pumping and transporting water via tankers continues from early morning until late evening.

Farmers informed Star of Mysore that on any given day, as many as 200 tankers transport water to the site of canal modernisation. The works began last month and since then, water has been continuously carried away.

Farmers questioned how the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL) and Taluk authorities can allow such blatant extraction of water for concrete works, especially when crops are failing and people are facing water scarcity. Farmers and area residents allege that a politically influential individual is carrying out the VC Canal works, and the CNNL authorities are mute spectators to this illegality.

It may be recalled that in the first week of March, two cases were detected where water from the Dam was illegally pumped to nearby resorts. Responding to public complaints, authorities from the CNNL conducted raids on the pumping locations, confiscated the motors and severed the pipes, pledging to prevent any further illegal activities. Whether the authorities will take action now remains to be seen.