Kodagu Rains Trigger Increased KRS Water Release

Quick Summary

• Increased Discharge from KRS Reservoir: Due to heavy rains in Kodagu district, the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir near Mysuru has increased its outflow to between 80,000 and 1,20,000 cusecs as of Monday noon. Earlier levels were at 31,550 cusecs on Monday morning.
• Warnings Issued: Authorities have advised residents in low-lying areas to relocate. Activities such as going near riverbanks or bridges and swimming in rivers have been prohibited.
• Educational Closures in Kodagu: Schools and colleges remain closed on Tuesday due to heavy rain forecasts by IMD (orange alert for Kodagu).
• Union Minister’s Instructions on Water Management: H.D. Kumaraswamy has instructed Mandya district authorities to fill lakes using overflow water from the KRS reservoir following complaints from farmers about unfilled lakes.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The rise in outflow from the KRS reservoir highlights urgent measures taken by authorities due to extreme rainfall conditions.Ensuring public safety through relocation advice and prohibitions around rivers is a critical move to mitigate risks during peak discharge periods. The closure of educational institutions further underscores the region’s vulnerability under adverse weather conditions.

On water management, Union Minister Kumaraswamy’s directive points toward maximizing resource utilization amidst abundant rainfall. Filling up lakes could benefit agricultural sectors dependent on consistent water supply while preventing wastage of overflow water during such high-discharge events. However, executing this efficiently amid challenging weather conditions may require meticulous planning.

Read more at The Hindu.