Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy, who also oversees Mandya district affairs, personally toured several rain-ravaged areas on Saturday, October 11, 2025. He offered reassurance and promised prompt relief to those severely impacted by the recent torrential downpour.
The district experienced intense, very heavy rainfall from Thursday, October 9, 2025, through to the early hours of Friday, October 10, 2025. This led to widespread inundation in low-lying areas and a significant breach in an irrigation canal, causing agricultural fields to be submerged.
During his visit to Mandya town, the Minister specifically inspected the KHB Colony, which had become waterlogged due to the continuous heavy rains over the preceding 48 hours.
Long-term residents of the colony, who have lived there for nearly two decades, shared their past struggles, recalling how heavy rainfall would previously force them to evacuate for up to a week. They highlighted that a recently constructed retaining wall, costing approximately ₹20 crore, had played a crucial role in mitigating major flooding this time.
The Minister announced that the government has already initiated a ₹15-crore tender for projects, including the construction of a 2.5-km barrage, specifically designed to prevent the overflow of excess rainwater. Mr. Cheluvaraswamy further stated that a total of ₹41 crore has been allocated for the comprehensive development of Ward number 3 in KHB Colony. While some parts of these projects are complete, certain works are currently on hold pending an official investigation.
He confirmed that a crucial meeting involving officials from the revenue department and the city municipal council would soon be convened to determine the precise nature and extent of relief required for the flood-affected population.
Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy detailed the widespread impact of the recent heavy rains across the state, estimating crop damage at over 13 lakh hectares in various districts. In Mandya alone, he noted that approximately 80 hectares of crops have been destroyed due to the downpour. The Minister assured that a comprehensive survey would be conducted once the rains subside to accurately assess the full extent of crop damage and gather precise data.
Additionally, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy inspected the breach in the Chikka Devaraja Sagar (CDS) canal at Dasaraguppe in Srirangapatana taluk, which had caused localized flooding of agricultural lands.
Following his inspection, the minister explained that the intense rainfall caused the canal to overflow and its embankment to break, resulting in significant losses to both agricultural and horticultural crops. He reiterated that a joint survey would be undertaken once the adverse weather conditions improve, enabling the preparation of proposals for appropriate farmer compensation.
He gave his word that once the joint survey is finalized and the necessary procedures are completed, compensation would be directly credited to the farmers’ bank accounts. He also clarified, “Farmers who have insured their crops will be eligible to receive both their insurance claims and government compensation.”
The flow of water through the CDS canal has been temporarily halted, and repair work is scheduled to begin once the rains cease, the Minister concluded.
Prominent figures present during the inspection included MLA Ravikumar, City Municipal Council President M.V. Prakash, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Kumar, Zilla Panchayat CEO K.R. Nandini, SP Mallikarjun Baladandi, Srirangapatna MLA Babu Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda, and Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah.