Sudden Cauvery Discharge Leaves Six Cattle Stranded Near Srirangapatna, Rescued

BENGALURU, SEPT 11: A sudden increase in the discharge of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu left six cattle stranded in the river near Ganjam in Srirangapatna taluk of Mandya district on Thursday evening, officials said.

The incident occurred after the Cauvery's flow increased sharply from around 3,000 cusecs in the morning to nearly 8,000 cusecs by evening. The sudden rise in the water level caught cattle grazing near the river off guard, leaving six cows stranded in the middle of the river.

The cattle, belonging to a resident of Ganjam, were unable to return to the bank as the water level rose. Following an alert from local residents, fire and rescue personnel reached the spot and launched a rescue operation with the assistance of villagers.

After several hours of efforts through the night, all six cows were safely rescued, officials said.

The incident comes amid growing resentment among farmers and pro-Kannada organisations over the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu at a time when Karnataka's reservoirs are under pressure due to inadequate rainfall.

Farmers in the Cauvery basin, particularly in Mandya, have expressed concern over water availability for irrigation and drinking purposes. They have argued that Karnataka's own requirements should be given priority amid the prevailing water stress.

The latest release has also intensified the political and public debate over Karnataka's compliance with directions on Cauvery water sharing and its impact on farmers in the state.