Mysore/Mysuru: Stating that heavy rains had resulted in crop loss during monsoon last year, farmers under the banner of State Sugarcane Growers’ Association staged a protest in front of CADA Office here yesterday morning, demanding authorities to release Cauvery and Kabini water stored in reservoirs to grow summer crops.

They said that following copious rains last year, the reservoirs were full and if water is released from the reservoirs to canals in the first week of February, it would help the farmers to make up for the losses.

The protestors said that the farmers had lost 40 percent of paddy crops they had grown earlier and as the rainy season has ceased, farmers were finding it difficult to grow crops now as the canals have dried up and were also finding it difficult to provide water to their cattle or even grow summer crops to make up for the losses. 

They demanded the authorities to release water to canals for the first 20 days of the month starting from February, stop for next 10 days and continue the same procedure four times which would be beneficial to farmers.

A memorandum was submitted to CADA Chief Engineer Shankaregowda in this regard. Association State President Kurubur Shanthakumar, Secretary Attahalli Devaraj,  office bearers Kurubur Siddesh and others were present.