Heavy Rains in Kodagu elevate water levels in KRS, Kabini, Harangi dams
Madikeri: The district of Kodagu has experienced significant rainfall over the past two days, leading to a notable rise in the water levels of the region's major reservoirs. The heavy downpour, accompanied by a red alert from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), has severely impacted daily life but has also contributed to increased inflows into the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS), Kabini, and Harangi dams.
The Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir has seen a substantial rise in water levels due to the persistent rains. The Harangi dam experienced an outflow peak of 18,750 cusecs on Tuesday morning, which later reduced to 10,000 cusecs.
The district's rainfall surged dramatically, with the amount received on July 16, 2024, being 80.42 mm, a significant increase from the 9.57 mm recorded on the same day in 2023. Despite this recent spike, the total rainfall from January to mid-July this year was 584.78 mm, compared to 1,268.5 mm in the same period last year.
Between Monday and Tuesday, various taluks in Kodagu received substantial rainfall. Madikeri recorded 106.43 mm, Virajpet 56.3 mm, Somwarpet 119.55 mm, Ponnampet 66.34 mm, and Kushalnagar 53.5 mm. Shanthalli recorded the highest rainfall in the district with 230 mm, followed by Bhagamandala at 172 mm.
The intense rainfall in Kodagu, the catchment area for the KRS dam, raised the reservoir's water level to 109.1 feet, against a maximum level of 124.80 feet. The inflow on Tuesday was recorded at 35,997 cusecs, with an outflow of 2,357 cusecs to canals and other water supply sources.
Kerala, the catchment area for the Kabini dam, also received heavy rainfall, causing the dam's water level to reach 2,282.38 feet, just shy of its full reservoir level of 2,284 feet. The dam saw an inflow of 29,310 cusecs by Tuesday evening, with an outflow of 36,000 cusecs. This significant discharge led to partial flooding of a structure in the waters of River Kapila in Nanjangud.
Similarly, the water level at the Harangi dam rose to 2,852.65 feet, close to its maximum level of 2,859 feet. The dam had an inflow of 8,764 cusecs by Tuesday evening, while the outflow was reduced to 10,000 cusecs from the previous day's release.
The district administration and authorities are closely monitoring the situation and have issued warnings and precautionary measures to ensure the safety of residents in low-lying areas prone to flooding.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
