KRS dam releases 2L cusecs for first time this century

Mysuru, NT Bureau: The KRS dam built across the Cauvery river has set a new record this monsoon season. It is releasing close to 2 lakh cusecs, which is a first for the reservoir this century.

The last time it had released this amount of water was in the early 1990s owing mainly to flash floods. The famous Wellesley Bridge in Srirangapatna is completely submerged due to the discharge of huge amounts of water from KRS.

As the Kabini catchment areas of Wayanad in Kerala are also receiving heavy rains for the last two days, Kabini reservoir has released 50,000 cusecs of water into the river downstream.

Apart from these, minor reservoirs of the region such as Nugu dam in H D Kote taluk has released 6026 cusecs of water while Taraka dam has released 746 cusecs. The Hunsur taluk administration has declared a red alert due to the discharge of heavy water into Lakshatheertha river.

Eight villages each in T Narasipura and Nanjangud taluks in Mysuru district and six in Kollegal taluk of Chamarajanagar district are submerged due to the release of water. The district administration has shifted residents and livestock of these villages to safer places.

The Mandya district administration has a daunting task on its hands as visitors are flocking to the river banks, mainly in Srirangapatna taluk. Though it has banned visitors to many places, mainly KRS dam and Balamuri, visitors are likely to flock to the banks of the river to wines the magnificent sight.