Drought fears: Taraka, Hebballa reservoir water reserved for drinking only
Amid poor rainfall in the catchment areas and reduced inflows, authorities have decided to reserve the water available in the Taraka and Hebballa reservoirs exclusively
Amid poor rainfall in the catchment areas and reduced inflows, authorities have decided to reserve the water available in the Taraka and Hebballa reservoirs exclusively for drinking and other essential needs, while urging farmers not to cultivate crops dependent on these reservoirs for irrigation. According to a press release, the Taraka reservoir catchment received significantly below-normal rainfall between June 1 and July 20, resulting in meagre inflows. At present, the Taraka reservoir holds only 1.275 TMC of water, while the Hebballa reservoir has 0.054 TMC, both of which have been earmarked for drinking water supply.
The decision has been taken in accordance with government directives and the and State Water Policies, which accord the highest priority to drinking water during periods of scarcity. The move is intended to ensure adequate drinking water availability in the event of a prolonged dry spell. The release noted that inflows into most reservoirs have dwindled to nearly zero, prompting the State government to caution about the possibility of drought due to the anticipated impact of the El Niño phenomenon.
During a State Cabinet meeting on July 2, the Chief Minister had advised farmers against taking up crops dependent on reservoir water. In view of the prevailing situation, officials said no water will be released from the Taraka and Hebballa reservoirs for irrigation during the current season. Farmers and ayacutdars have been urged
not to cultivate crops that rely on water from these reservoirs. In the release, the Irrigation Advisory Committee of the Taraka Reservoir Project under the Kabini Reservoir Division, along with the Executive Engineer, said the available storage in both reservoirs has been reserved exclusively to meet drinking water requirements in the coming months.
The BriefWire