# Manjra river dries up, farmers anxious in Bidar 2026-09-21T21:53:13+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Most water bodies in Bidar district have dried up even before the monsoon cycle ends. The Manjra river, the lifeline of the district, is nearly dry, forcing authorities to arrange an alternate water body for Ganesha idol immersion. The river flows through Hulsur, Bhalki, Kamalanagar, Aurad and Bidar taluks and is the main water source for the region. Seven of eight taluks are already on the drought-affected list, Aurad may be added by month-end. Raitha Sangha district unit president Shrimanth Biradar said due to deficit rainfall there is no water in the river in Aurad taluk and farmers have not grown any crop this year, so the taluk should be declared drought-affected. In the kharif season, sowing was done on 4.12 lakh of the 4.22 lakh hectares, but crops of soya, beans and tur are withering. The Karanja reservoir near Bhalki taluk held 4.23 tmc ft of water on Sunday, against its total capacity of 7.65 tmc ft. Last year it was full. Officials said the reservoir has adequate water so there may not be a drinking water crisis in the coming days. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Bidar is in the Hyderabad Karnataka region, which has faced successive monsoon failures since 2019. The state government declares a taluk drought-affected based on rainfall deficit, crop loss and field reports, Aurad's inclusion would unlock relief packages for farmers. Karanja dam's 4.23 tmc ft appears comfortable, but releases for drinking water have priority over irrigation, so the next few weeks of monsoon performance will determine whether Bidar city faces water cuts. The district administration's submission to the state relief commissioner by month-end will decide Aurad's drought status. ## Coverage - deccanherald.com Tags: Bidar, Karanja dam, Karnataka government, Manjra river Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/manjra-river-dries-up-farmers-anxious-in-bidar/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/manjra-river-dries-up-farmers-anxious-in-bidar/#story-in-brief