Hassan DC urges farmers to avoid water-intensive crops amid drought risks

Hassan Deputy Commissioner K.S. Latha Kumari has appealed to farmers in the district not to cultivate water-intensive crops such as paddy and sugarcane this year, as water from reservoirs cannot be released for agricultural purposes.

In a press communique issued on Thursday, the Deputy Commissioner said inflow into reservoirs had been low compared to previous years, and the available water needed to be stored to meet drinking water requirements. Owing to the El Niño effect, rainfall may subside in the coming days, as per the Indian Meteorological Department’s projections, and many places in the State may face drought-like conditions. The Chief Minister has also appealed to farmers not to take up cultivation in anticipation of water from the reservoirs.

The Deputy Commissioner said instructions had been issued to reserve water in the reservoirs for drinking purposes for both humans and cattle. She added that farmers should understand the gravity of the situation, avoid crops such as paddy and sugarcane, and instead grow rain-fed crops, following the advice of officers of the Agriculture Department.

Hemavathi, Yagachi and Vatehole are reservoirs in the district. As of Thursday morning, the gross storage in Hemavathi reservoir at Goruru in Hassan taluk was 20.102 tmcft , against the maximum capacity of 37.103 tmcft . The water level stood at 2,900.63 ft, against the full reservoir level of 2,922 ft. The inflow was 15,647 cusecs.

At Yagachi reservoir near Belur, the storage was 2.9 tmcft against the maximum capacity of 3.637 tmcft. The water level stood at 3,161.572 ft, against the full level of 3,164.9 ft. Similarly, at Vatehole reservoir, also in Belur taluk, the water level was 3,159 ft against the full reservoir level of 3,169 ft. Against the maximum capacity of 1.51 tmcft , the storage available as on Thursday was 0.98 tmcft.