Kolhapur: The discharge of 2,010 cusecs of water from Koyna dam’s powerhouse spillway was initiated on Wednesday after an uproar by Sangli politicians and farmer leaders.
“The plan to utilise the water for rabi crops is going to be finalised soon. It will be chaired by Satara guardian minister Shambhuraj Desai. Invitations have been sent to the elected representatives of Sangli district as well. There are other dams such as Dhom, Balkawdi, Kanher, Urmodi and Tarali which currently hold water which was to be utilised for irrigation.
A meeting will be held on Thursday in Karad,” said a senior irrigation department official.
“I had alerted chief minister Devendra Fadnavis during his Kolhapur visit on Oct 18 that it takes at least five days to reach Koyna’s water to Sangli.
I warn the authorities to release more water, otherwise I will march on the dam and open the taps myself,” said Shetti. Raju Shetti, former MP and president of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, accused state govt of not wanting to release water into Krishna river to ensure that the farmers hurry to harvest sugar cane and help run the politician-controlled sugar mills even though it means losses to the farmers.