BJP warns of siege at KRS reservoir if Karnataka fails to release water for crops
The BJP will lay siege to the KRS reservoir near here if the Karnataka government does not release water to standing crops within three days, warned Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashok on Monday.
Speaking to reporters after visiting sugarcane fields in Malavalli and surrounding areas in Mandya district, Mr. Ashok said crops have dried up due to lack of water in several parts of the Cauvery basin. He urged the government to immediately release water from the KRS reservoir and hold an all-party meeting to discuss the sharing of Cauvery water with Tamil Nadu.
“If water is not released within three days, the BJP will lay siege to the KRS reservoir,” he said.
Mr. Ashok also criticised the government for not responding to farmers' distress, alleging that the Congress party was preoccupied with Cabinet expansion. He demanded that the government first address the drought situation or convene a special session of the Assembly to listen to the problems of MLAs from all constituencies.
He claimed that the government had previously released water when the reservoir level was 86 feet, and argued that releasing water at least once would help save the sugarcane crop. “Even if water is not given for new crops, it must be provided for the existing crops,” he stated.
On the Bidadi Township issue, Mr. Ashok alleged that the Congress government was trying to acquire fertile land with lakhs of coconut and mango trees for real estate development.
The Cauvery water dispute remains a sensitive issue in the region, with farmers in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu dependent on the river's waters. The state government has not yet responded to the BJP's threat.
