BJP MLA joins farmers’ protest demanding release of TLBC water

KALABURAGI

BJP MLA Shivaraj Patil and hundreds of farmers took to the streets on Saturday demanding the Irrigation Department release water to the villages located at the tail-end of Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC).

The protest led by Karnataka State Farmers’ Association at Saath Mile cross connecting the State highway on the outskirts of the city blocked the highway demanding the government release the water till tail-end.

Chamarasa Malipatil, State Honorary President of the Farmers Association, said that standing crops were drying up without water at Manvi and Sirwara villages, which are situated at the end of the canal. It was not possible for the farmers to irrigate their fields with the small quantity of water they were receiving. The chilli and paddy crops on lakhs of hectares will be ruined, if the department failed to release canal water till tail-ends, Mr. Patil added.

Mr. Patil said that if the TLBC canal does not deliver water to irrigate the last field, it will be a failure on the part of the State government. He directed the Irrigation Department officials to line the canals and protect them from erosion and water theft as well.