Drinking water: K'taka seeks Krishna waters from Mah

Bangalore, Apr 19: The Karnataka government has appealed to the neighbouring Maharashtra to release one TMC of water from its Koyna reservoir to meet the acute drinking water crisis in Belgaum and Bijapur districts coming under the Krishna basin.

Official sources told UNI that the state government had already paid the upper riparian state Rs two crore for the purpose from its Calamity Relief Fund two weeks ago. However, the Maharashtra government was yet to respond to its plea.

Despite the Krishna basin receiving copious rainfall and facing unprcedented flood situation last year, hundreds of villages in Belgaum and Bijapur districts were facing severe drinking water problem this summer.

The Padasalagi barrage in Jamakhandi taluk in Bijapur district built across the river had completely dried up, the sources added.

UNI