Nayana J C

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 18: Residents of Balipaguri Road in Kavoor are facing a serious water contamination issue after diesel-like substances were reportedly found mixing with well water used by several households, causing a strong smell and making the water unfit for drinking and daily use.

According to local residents, the issue first came to light in November last year when a few households noticed an unusual diesel-like smell in the water drawn from their wells. Initially, they believed the issue was temporary and cleaned the wells, expecting the smell to disappear. However, the problem has gradually worsened and has now affected nearly three to four houses in the locality.

To verify the cause of the contamination, residents collected samples of the affected well water and sent them for testing to the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal. The test report confirmed that the water samples contained high levels of oil and grease, along with low pH levels and high coliform bacteria content, indicating that the water is unsafe for consumption. The presence of oil and grease in the samples has raised concerns among residents about possible underground contamination.

Speaking on behalf of the affected residents, Sadashiva Bhat said that the people are not blaming anyone for the issue but are only demanding that the authorities identify the source of the contamination and provide a permanent solution.

Another resident, Ramesh Shetty, said that the water has become unusable due to the strong smell. “We are unable to drink the water, and even using it for daily household purposes has become difficult,” he said.

Residents Divakar and Jayashree stated that the wells in the area have existed for many years and that no such issue had been reported in the past. They said the contamination is now affecting multiple households because one well is shared by two to three families.

The residents have appealed to the concerned authorities to conduct an immediate inspection, trace the source of the diesel-like contamination, and take urgent steps to ensure safe drinking water. They stressed that their intention is not to blame anyone, but to find a permanent solution to a growing public health concern.