Farmers from the Kabini command area protested outside the Kabini Canal Distribution Office in T. Narasipura, Mysuru district, on Tuesday, demanding the immediate release of water into canals after disruption to the scheduled supply affected standing paddy crops.
The farmers said water was not being released according to the schedule announced by the irrigation department, creating difficulties for crops that had reached the grain-forming stage. They demanded that water be supplied continuously to canals serving their area for the next seven days.
Farmer leaders alleged that canals in their region had been closed and water diverted only towards the Kollegala area following instructions from C. Puttarangashetty, the minister in charge of Chamarajanagar district. They questioned whether the minister represented only Kollegala or the Chamarajanagar constituency and demanded equal consideration for farmers across all constituencies served by the irrigation system.
The protest highlights the dependence of paddy-growing areas on scheduled canal releases and the administrative disputes that can arise when water distribution is altered within a command area. The farmers said the timing of the release was critical because the crop was at the grain-forming stage, when inadequate irrigation could affect cultivation outcomes.
The protesters warned that they would not leave the office premises unless water was released immediately. Former president of the T. Narasipura Bar Association, Thottavadi Mahadevaswamy, said officials were not responding adequately to farmers’ concerns.
Dinesh Kumar, assistant executive engineer of the Kabini Canal Distribution Division, visited the site and assured the farmers that steps would be taken to release water into the canals. Following the assurance, the farmers withdrew their protest.
The protest was attended by farmer leaders including Bannhalli Shivakumar, Sujjaluru Jaiswamy, Hosapura Siddaraju, Mahadevu, Mahesh, Nilsoge Mahadevaprasad, Kirsuru Rangayya, Mahadevanayaka, Papanayaka, Manu and Somanna. The irrigation division’s next action on the promised release will determine whether the affected paddy-growing areas receive the seven-day supply sought by the farmers.
