Bengaluru: Even as farmers along the Cauvery basin in Kodagu, Mandya and Mysuru are up in arms against the State Government demanding water for their kharif crops, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has ruled out Cauvery water to grow paddy and sugarcane. “This year, water will not be released for irrigating paddy and sugarcane fields,” he said.

The CM was addressing reporters after a meeting with elected representatives from Mandya at ‘Krishna’, his Home Office in Bengaluru this morning. “Water will be released to all canals from tomorrow to fill up lakes and ponds for drinking purposes and to feed the livestock,” the CM said and added that water will be released to all canals of Krishna Raja Sagar, Kabini, Hemavathi and Harangi Reservoirs to fill up lakes and ponds.  Appealing farmers not to cultivate paddy and sugarcane, Siddharamaiah has asked them to grow only less water-intensive crops like ragi and jowar.

Siddharamaiah added that all the elected representatives had agreed to the government decision.  One more meeting will be held on Aug. 14 where elected representatives from all parties from Hassan, Mandya and Mysuru will participate.

Today’s meeting was attended by Agriculture Minister Krishna Bhyregowda, Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil, Mandya District Minister M. Krishnappa, MLAs K.S. Puttannaiah, Cheluvarayaswamy, Ramesh Babu Bandisiddegowda, Narendraswamy, M.H. Ambareesh and MP C.S. Puttaraju.