Amidst severe drinking water scarcity and ongoing drought in several districts of North Karnataka, including Belgaum, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalaburgi, and Raichur, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to release water from Maharashtra’s Krishna and Bhima river reservoirs to aid the state.
Siddaramaiah wrote to Chief Minister Shinde, highlighting the severe drinking water scarcity in North Karnataka districts due to the intense summer conditions, noting that the water shortage began as early as March. “In the earlier occasions, during the summer season, the Maharashtra government responded positively, releasing water to the Krishna river, to meet drinking water needs of people and livestock in Karnataka. The state government conveys sincere thanks to the state of Maharashtra,’’ said the Karnataka CM.
He mentioned that at present, the North Karnataka regions are grappling with an intense drought brought about by the monsoon’s failure, resulting in a significant depletion of reservoir storage. The existing water supply is inadequate to fulfill domestic requirements, with no rainfall expected until the arrival of the monsoon season.
Siddaramaiah urged Shinde to release 2 tmcft of water from either the Warna or Koyna reservoirs into the Krishna river, and an additional 1 tmcft of water from the Ujjani reservoir into the Bhima river. This assistance is sought to address the urgent drinking water requirements of the affected districts in Karnataka.
