Deekshith D V
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Apr 25: As people are suffering from scorching heat in the district, they are facing a shortage of drinking water too. The Netravati River in Dakshina Kannada (DK) has dried up in many places. If the same situation continues, people in the city and district will face severe water scarcity.
People in many places are hopefully waiting for rains to lash the district as it will be the only remedy for the rising mercury levels and scarcity of drinking water.
The water-level in AMR dam has completely declined. As it has not rained, there is no inflow of water. Water level is receding day by day in Thumbe vented dam. The level which was 5.95 meters on March 3 has gone down to 4.9 meters on Sunday, April 23. Hence, Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has begun action to utilise water accumulated in pits below the dam.
A dam is built at Harekala, which lies on the lower level of Thumbe dam. So salt water from the sea does not reach Thumbe dam during high tide. In the pits that are present in Netravati river below the Thumbe vented dam there is water which is potable.
MCC commissioner Channbasappa K said that action is taken to pump the water from the pits below Thumbe vented dam. MRPL and MCF companies are helping the MCC in this task.
The MCC sources said that the work of pumping the water in the pits in Netravati has begun on Sunday itself. Water that was accumulated at AMR dam of Shamboor is already flown to Thumbe vented dam. The district administration has passed an order to preserve the remaining water in AMR for drinking purpose. However, the officials say that even if the water of AMR dam is released it is doubtful that it will reach Thumbe dam, which is at a distance of nine km.
Every year, in the month of April, it used to rain for four to five days. However, this year there are no showers. So the water level is receding day by day at Thumbe vented dam. Hence, the MCC is taking actions to preserve the remaining water till the onset of monsoon.
The water that is remaining in Thumbe vented dam at present is sufficient to supply drinking water only for 30 days to the city. If it does not rain in the month of May, then MCC will start rationing the water.
The water level has declined in the Payaswini river in Sullia. Sullia town municipal council is too facing a shortage of water.
The government, in a bid to meet the water needs of Kolar and Chikkaballapur, started the Yettinahole project. The politicians from the district who joined hands to start the project have remained as mute spectators though the people in the district are facing water shortage.
Activist Dinesh Holla said, "Yettinahole project is a prominent reason for water shortage in the district. To store water in the dams, water should flow from the catchment area. The catchment got destroyed due to work on the Yettinahole project. Many parts of the district including several places in the city are facing water scarcity."