Karnataka CM requests Fadnavis to release water from dams

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah urged Maharashtra's Fadnavis to release water from reservoirs to address severe drinking water shortages in North Karnataka.

Mumbai Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday requested his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis to release water from Warna and Koyna reservoirs to Krishna river and from Ujjani reservoir to Bhima river to meet drinking water needs in North Karnataka regions.

**EDS: THIRD PARTY IMAGE** In this image via Karnataka DIPR on March 13, 2025, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah speaks during the Budget session of the state Assembly, in Bengaluru. (Karnataka DIPR via PTI Photo)(PTI03_13_2025_000271A) (Karnataka DIPR)

In a letter to Fadnavis on April 1, the Congress leader highlighted that Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalaburagi, Yadagiri and Raichur districts in north Karnataka have been facing severe shortage of drinking water due to depleted reservoirs since the beginning of March.

Acknowledging the Maharashtra government’s support on such occasions in earlier years, he thanked them for releasing water to Krishna river in the past as well to meet the drinking water needs of human beings and livestock.

Siddaramaiah emphasised in the letter that the situation is becoming more critical with the rising temperatures and the existing storage levels in the Hipparagi Barrage and other local reservoirs are insufficient to cater to the drinking water needs of North Karnataka districts of Krishna Basin areas until monsoon strikes the state later this year.

Siddaramiah has asked Fadnavis to direct the authorities to release atleast 2.00 TMC of water from Warna/Koyna reservoir to Krishna river and 1.00 TMC of water from Ujjini reservoir to Bhima river to meet the immediate drinking water needs of both human beings and livestock of northern districts of Karnataka.

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, minister for Godavari and Krishna Valley corporation, said, “I don’t know about this letter as it is written to the CM. But I will get more information on this.”