MANDYA: At a time when several parts of the state are grappling with drinking water shortage, illegal pipelines were drawn from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam backwaters to two farmhouses for irrigation and other purposes.
The pipelines were running a length of at least 200 mt and after the report on the illegality was reported by Public TV, officials swung into action, disconnected the pipelines and power connections and seized the pumps.
It is said that one of the farms belongs to an influential police officer. A farm hand, Kumar, said they were drawing water from the dam for the last one month and that they were using the water for irrigation.
After Public TV broadcast the report, Assistant Executive Engineer Kishore Kumar and Assistant Engineer Suresh Babu of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL), along with a team of officials arrived at the spot and removed the illegal connection. They also seized the pipes and the pumps, and disconnected power supply.
The officials conducted checks all around the backwaters and removed four water pumps which were illegally installed in similar fashion. They conducted checks in Mysuru district also and found that Blue Lagoon restaurant at Hale Undawadi village was also drawing water illegally. Pumps installed illegally by farmers too were seized.