Karnataka Faces Drought Threat: CM Appeals to Farmers to Skip Water-Heavy Crops

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has warned of a severe drought this year due to weak monsoon predictions, urging farmers to avoid cultivating water-intensive crops. The warning comes after a meeting with energy department officials on Friday, where the CM instructed them to prepare an emergency plan in case of below-normal rainfall caused by the El Nino effect.

Shivakumar directed officials to ensure adequate power supply by making coal mines reserved for the government operational and maintaining sufficient coal stocks. The energy department informed that the current power situation is better than last year, with no power cuts for the past three years. However, the CM emphasised the need to prepare for rising demand from data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure, projecting peak demand to reach 38 gigawatts by 2035.

On Thursday, after a cabinet meeting, Shivakumar appealed to farmers not to plant crops relying on dam water, citing zero inflows into major reservoirs. 'Inflow into most of the state's dams has reached zero. Hence, I appeal to farmers not to plant any crops relying on dam water,' he said. Water levels in key dams like Hemavati, Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS), and Kabini have dropped significantly compared to last year, with inflows falling to 20% of normal.

The CM also asked farmers not to demand release of water from dams, stating 'if it rains, we will provide water.' He noted that the Prime Minister had already warned about water and electricity issues. To address the situation, Shivakumar has instructed ministers to tour their districts regarding fodder and drinking water, and to urgently drill borewells. He himself plans to visit all four divisions of the state.