Bagalkot farmers warn of protest, mass suicide over delay in canal water release

Bagalkot : Farmers from Bagalkot and Belagavi districts submitted a memorandum to Navilutheertha reservoir officials on Tuesday, urging immediate release of water into the Malaprabha river and canals to protect their standing crops.

The farmers met reservoir officer Mamata Moolimani and division officer Keeran Gubbanavar and pleaded for water release, stating that despite instructions from Badami MLA Bhimsen Chimmankatti, Ramdurg MLA Ashok Patil, and Minister R.B. Thimmapur, officials had not yet opened the dam gates.

The farmers expressed their anguish and questioned the delay: “Why is the water not being released even after orders from our elected representatives? Are farmers not being respected?”

They said they have sown crops such as jowar, onions, and bajra in the Malaprabha command area, fully relying on the reservoir for irrigation. If water is not released immediately, their crops will wither due to lack of moisture, they said. The farmers warned that delayed release would serve no purpose and insisted that water must flow into the canals by tomorrow.

According to the farmers, the sowing is already completed depending on the early showers. However, with the monsoon failing, water from the dam is their last hope.

The memorandum submitted by the farmers also included a stern warning. “If water is not released by tomorrow, we will launch a protest. Some of us may even resort to mass suicide,” the farmers said.

The farmers said they had also sent copies of their appeal via post to Water Resources Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Chief Engineer, Dharwad, seeking immediate intervention.

Following a recent report in Udayavani highlighting the farmers’ distress, reservoir officials have reportedly assured to release water into the Malaprabha river and canals by Friday.

Parashurama Gani, Agriculture Officer, said, “In areas under Raitha Samparka Kendra, farmers have sown crops like tur, sunflower, horse gram, bajra, maize, and hybrid jowar. In some areas, due to lack of irrigation, crops are beginning to wilt. If there is no water for another four weeks, the entire crop may be lost. Early canal water release will help save them.”