Mysuru:  Following the release of about 50,000 cusecs of water from Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir yesterday, the Forest Department has suspended its boating activities at Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary as the water level in River Cauvery has increased but the bird sanctuary is open for public.

The bird sanctuary is located on the banks of River Cauvery downstream of the KRS reservoir near Srirangapatna and once water is released from the reservoir, it gushes downstream resulting in the increase of water level of the river in the sanctuary and the Forest Department, keeping the safety of tourist lives in mind, have withdrawn the boating activities. Boating activities will resume once the water level decreases and remain stable.

No threat to birds: Meanwhile, DCF (Wildlife) Siddaramappa Chalkapure, speaking to SOM, said that there is no threat to birds at the bird sanctuary following the release of water from KRS as of now as most of the migratory birds have left the place after roosting and will come back only in November. Some of the regular birds have laid eggs on tree tops and there is no threat to them.

He further said that they have put up barricades to prevent tourists from going near the boating place and have increased the security there. “As for the damages caused due to increase in water, we cannot come to any conclusions right now. We can only come to know about it after the water in the river recedes,” he added.

Meanwhile, sources said that there will be a threat to the bird sanctuary only if over one lakh cusecs of water is released from the KRS Reservoir which had happened in the early 90s when more than two lakh cusecs of water was released from KRS.

One washed away, another rescued near Bangaradoddi check dam: An unidentified man was reportedly washed away in River Cauvery, while fishermen rescued another man who was stuck in the river for nearly an hour yesterday near Bangaradoddi check dam close to Srirangapatna.

35-year-old Mahadev of Kyatanahalli in Pandavapur taluk is the fisherman who was rescued.

Mahadev had gone to the river alone and as he ventured into the waters, there was a sudden increase in the water flow following which Mahadev got stuck in the river. He managed to survive for an hour before he was rescued by a few fishermen who noticed him.

Meanwhile, local people said that an unidentified man is believed to have been drowned in the river a few meters away from where Mahadev was rescued. But Police said that they are yet to ascertain if the man died of drowning. The Police, who found an abandoned two-wheeler, were trying to locate the owner of the vehicle.