Bangalore: Driven by depleted water inflows, the Karnataka government on September 13 drew up emergency alternative plans to utilise water below the "minimum draw down level" (MDDL) in Kabini reservoir to save standing crops in about one lakh acres.

For the first time, the government has put in place the alternative plans to use the "dead storage level" water of about 10 TMC to protect the interest of farmers in the Kabini command areas, Water Resources Minister, H K Patil told a press conference in Bangalore.

He said the government will also keep in mind the decision of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA), which has asked the state to ensure release of 9,000 CUSECS of water to Tamil Nadu daily and also the water requirement of farmers.

The government has decided to install motors upto 11,000 horse power at a cost of Rs 5 crore to pump water, he said adding that irrigation department officials have been rushed to Delhi and Ahmedabad to procure heavy capacity motors.

The emergency plan would be in place in about eight to ten days and put into operation depending upon the rainfall and inflow situation, Patil said.

He said by pressing these motors into service, it would be possible to lift 2390 cusecs of water into the canal.

Patil said, the government has provided water already for about 50 days and release of water for about 84 days was necessary to save the standing crops.

Minister for Animal Husbandry, M Mahadev, who represents Nanjangud Assembly constituency and Minister for Horticulture, M Shivanna, representing H D Kote, which are part of the Kabini Command Area were present.

Patil said the water level in Kabini reservoir as on September 12 was 2280 ft as against the full Reservoir level (FRL) of 2284.

Currently, the dam had 7.22 TMC ft of water available for irrigation through Right Bank Canal and Left Bank Canal at MDDL level.

Water partially available for irrigation with reduced atchkat at the canal sill level of 2249 ft of the dam is about 6 TMC ft and water that can be used for irrigation by lifting is about 4 TMC feet at dead storage level.

Patil said the 7.22 TMC ft that stood at 2266 ft of MDDL could be released for about 35 days.

He said the government has not used the dead storage level water for irrigation in the last ten years and has been pushed to this situation this time.

Patil said the inflows in Kabini reservoirs which stood at 2700 CUSECS on September 13, indicated that it has been declining.

He said no similar contingency plans have been envisaged for command areas in Krishnaraja Sagar and Hemavathy in the wake of deficit storage level.

Patil said it has been estimated that 16.692 TMC water is needed in Kabini Right Bank canal area from September 10 to December 2 at the rate of 2300 CUSECS daily and 0.65 TMC in Left Bank canal zone at the rate of 90 CUSECS daily.

The farmers of Kabini area have been protesting against the release water to Tamil Nadu.

Patil said work to repair crest gates damaged by farmers during the protest against release of water to Tamil Nadu were being carried out.

PTI