Mandya: Protests over the release of KRS water to Tamil Nadu continued across the district for the second day yesterday. Police detained hundreds of protesting farmers at Mandya city, while farmers staged a road blockade at Srirangapatna to register their protest against the detention of farmers.

The farmers who gathered near Sir M. Visveswaraiah statue on Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway at Mandya, blocked the road and as a result, traffic was disrupted for a while. The Police took the protesting farmers into custody.

Alleging that the Government had ordered release of water without conducting a meeting of the Cauvery Consultative Committee, the farmers raised slogans urging the Government to stop release of water to Tamil Nadu.

Even as the farmers were detained in Mandya, hundreds of people, including farmers and advocates, blocked the Mysuru-Bengaluru Road in Srirangapatna. Raising slogans against CM Siddharamaiah, Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam (CNN) officials, the protestors urged the Government to stop release of KRS water to Tamil Nadu.

They submitted a memorandum to the Tahsildar. Similar protests were held at several other places in the district including at Maddur, Pandavapura, Bharatinagar and Induvalu.

Security beefed up at KRS dam: With protests erupting across the district over the release of cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, the District Police have beefed up security at KRS Dam and other sensitive places in Srirangapatna.

Mandya SP G. Radhika said professional divers have deployed at places along the river where the farmers are protesting. Tight Police security is in place in sensitive areas, she said and added that eight KSRP battalions have been deployed in Srirangapatna to meet emergency situations.

State submits Mekedatu Project Report to CWC: Meanwhile, undeterred by Tamil Nadu’s protests against the construction of a balancing reservoir across Cauvery River at Mekedatu, the Karnataka Government has reportedly submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for final clearance.

The Rs. 5,912 crore project is aimed at meeting the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and surrounding areas. The Karnataka Govt. maintains that the project won’t disrupt flow of water to Tamil Nadu.

The Mekedatu project which also envisages power production, will divert 16.10Tmcft of Cauvery water for Bengaluru.