Under pressure from the Centre, the Maharashtra government has agreed to release 2 tmc of water to Krishna river in Karnataka from Koyna reservoir immediately. A Karnataka delegation led by MPs Pralhad Joshi, Suresh Angadi, Prabhakar Kore, MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath, Shivakumar Udasi, P C Gaddigoudar, Veeranna Charantimath and Raghunath Malkapure met Union parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar in New Delhi urging the latter to put pressure on Mr Fadnavis for release of water to Karnataka.
After Fadnavis was apprised of the severe drought prevailing in areas around Krishna and Bhima river in Karnataka by Mr Ananth Kumar, he assured that 2 tmc of water would be released immediately. The Maharashtra CM did not assure whether another 2 tmc of water demanded by Karnataka would be released but said he would look into it. The state's delegation briefed Mr Ananth Kumar about the situation in drought-hit areas of north-Karnataka and Bagalkot and said, lakhs of people largely depended on Krishna river, which has almost dried up due to drought.
