Former Minister sets November 5 deadline for Yadgir shutdown over farm water shortage

Former Minister Narasimha Naik has warned that a complete shutdown of Yadgir will take place on November 6 if the State government fails to solve the district water crisis by November 5. Crops spread across thousands of acres face the threat of drying up because officials suddenly stopped supplying water.

Water Supply Dispute

Speaking at a press press meet alongside farmer and pro-Kannada group leaders, Mr. Naik stated that authorities cut off water supply from the Basavasagar reservoir to local irrigation channels on October 25 under rotational rules known as Warabandi. While water supply is scheduled to restart on November 2 and run until November 12 based on an Irrigation Consultation Committee meeting in Bengaluru, Mr. Naik pointed out that stopping on November 12 will not save vital crops like paddy, green chilli, and cotton at this key stage. He demanded continuous water supply until the end of November and accused authorities of sending water to neighboring Telangana overnight through verbal orders, questioning if Telangana paid for it just as Karnataka paid Maharashtra for water.

Administrative Demands

Beyond the immediate water release, Mr. Naik called for a change in how irrigation boards are run by asking the government to pick a local MLA from Raichur, Yadgir, or Kalaburagi to head the Irrigation Consultation Committee instead of lawmakers from Bagalkote or Vijayapura.

Context

Water sharing between states and districts in southern India often sparks intense political debate during dry spells when agricultural demand peaks. Irrigation committees manage reservoir levels and release schedules to balance drinking water needs with crop requirements across different regions.