Union Minister Sadananda Gowda writes to Centre and Cauvery Board requesting an additional release of 2 Thousand Million Cubic Feet water to drought-ridden Mandya district. Read letter here

As water crisis grips Karnataka, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers and BJP leader Sadananda Gowda, on Thursday has written a letter to Chairman of Cauvery Water Management Authority Masood Hussain and Union Jalshakti minister Gajendra Shekhawat requesting additional 2 Thousand Million Cubic Feet. (TMC) water from the KRS dam to Karnataka's Mandya district, as requested by Lok Sabha MP Sumalatha Ambareesh to overcome crops loss and mitigate the farmers' crisis.

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In the letter released by the minister, he states that Mandya which is located near the banks of Cauvery is mainly dependent on agricultural income with crops like paddy, sugarcane, jowar, maize, cotton, banana, ragi, coconut, pulses and vegetables cultivated in the area. He also states as there is deficit rainfall in the state, the canals irrigating the area are dry which have created a crisis for the farmers.

Stating that while there is 80 feet of water is available with 2.4 TMC reserve supply, he requests Shekhawat and Hussain to examine the issue and do the needful.

Here is his letter:

Earlier on Saturday, the state Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, among all the political turmoil, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought central assistance to the state reeling under severe drought due to 45 percent shortfall in the rainfall.

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Before the Lok Sabha polls, the state government in its memorandum to the Centre had sought the financial assistance of Rs 2,064 crore to provide relief to farmers hit by drought during the rabi season.  

Karnataka has declared drought in 156 taluks in 30 districts. As many as 107 taluks are facing severe drought, while 49 taluks have a moderate drought.

About 20.40 lakh hectare farmland has been affected due to the drought in the state. Crop loss is estimated in 19.46 lakh hectare, according to the state government. The state had faced drought during the Kharif season of 2018-19 crop year (July-June).