Bhadra Reservoir to Release Water for Kharif Crops Over 120 Days Starting Tuesday

Quick Summary

• The Irrigation Advisory Committee of Bhadra reservoir met on Monday in Shivamogga.
• It was resolved to release water for Kharif crops in the command area for 120 days, starting Tuesday, July 22.
• Water will initially be released in the right bank canal serving Anaveri, Davangere, Malebennur, and Harihar branch canals.
• Left bank release dates will be decided later due to ongoing repair works.
• Local legislators demanded early water release to benefit tail-end growers and urged enforcement against illegal pumpsets on the right bank canal.
• Representatives from farmers’ organisations and officials from relevant authorities attended the meeting.
• A notification outlining the water-release timetable was issued by R. Ravichandra, member-secretary of the committee and superintending engineer of Bhadra project Circle.

indian Opinion Analysis

The decision to release water for Kharif crops is a timely intervention that addresses agricultural needs during a critical growing season while balancing infrastructure constraints such as repairs on the left bank canal system. However, concerns raised about equitable distribution-especially ensuring access for tail-end farmers-and controlling illegal pumpsets underscore persistent challenges in irrigation management within many parts of India’s canal network.

By prioritising transparency via an official timetable notification and involving representatives across stakeholders (legislators and farmers), this meeting reflects participatory governance practices frequently enough lacking in similar contexts elsewhere. Monitoring implementation efficiency over 120 days will be crucial to ensure agricultural productivity is maximised while minimising disputes over resource allocation.

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