Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, May 7: Yadamoge is a village nested at the foot of the Western Ghats. On one side of the village, greenery abounds. But inside the village, land that has turned dry, plants and trees which have withered due to strong sunshine, dried wells and borewells have made the people to hanker for water that has vanished. In spite of these problems, the local panchayat has turned a blind eye to the tribulations of people.

Yadamoge is a village located 38 km away from the taluk headquarters. It has been identified as a naxal-infested area. This summer has been particularly harsh, and many places in this area are facing the problem of water. People residing in Jambehadi and nearby areas and also those living in Janata Colony are finding it hard to get water even to drink. River Kubja, which flows by the side of the village, has gone bone dry. One who peeps into open wells gets to see only dry bottoms.

The open wells here normally go dry during every summer season. People who do not get water elsewhere usually depend on two borewells of the government located here. Now, out of the two, only one has some water. Water from this borewell located near Nagabrahma Yakshi shrine at Jambehadi is pumped to the storage tank at Janata Colony. Although arrangement has been made to supply water from there to smaller tanks and taps, whenever the motor of the borewell encounters problems, it takes weeks to set it right. During this gap, people run from pillar to post to get water. Moreover, because the storage tank has not been cleaned since the last several years, the water coming from here is contaminated. Still, during the four to five months of summer season, people are dependent on this water. People's representatives neither have time to listen to the problems of locals nor do they visit the villages, rue locals.

The villagers say that in the past they never faced water problem during the entire year. Since the last some years, people have been digging borewells for agriculture and plantations, which have sucked underground water table down, depriving local wells of water. In the recent past, many have dug borewells for individual houses. The locals have urged the gram panchayat not to issue fresh licences to borewells because of which the area is reeling under water crisis.

People are now forced to consume dirty water at the bottom of some local drying ponds and also that which flows down from the tank. A senior villager, Narayan Shetty, expresses his anger at the lack of will power on the part of the panchayat to address the problems of the people.

Yadamoge gram panchayat is not doing anything to mitigate the problem. The locals feel that the water problem can easily be addressed by diverting water from River Varahi at Hosangadi Bhagimane to River Kubja. in the recent past, the people had invited the panchayat president to come for consultation on the issue, but even as media persons watched, the husband of the panchayat president came there and tried to give excuses. It is said that some became angry for inviting the media and threatened some locals.

Lack of will power on the part of people's representatives who got elected by the people and officials who draw salaries out of taxes paid by the people, and their irresponsibility have turned the lives of villagers here hellish. People are waiting to see whether these people will throb to their problems at least now.