News & Pics: Harshini Brahmavar

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Udupi, May 22: In addition to the illegal sand mining, borewell digging too has become one of the major problems facing the district. As there is no much water scarcity in the district, Varamballi grama panchayat officials have not responded to the illegal borewell digging as expected.

There is no control on digging of private bore wells. Nearly 6-7 applications have received since 2015 for digging borewells which are yet to be disposed off. Mining and geology officials say that the responsibility is entrusted to panchayat development officer (PDO) to take decisions.

As per the information available at the department of geology and water supply, private borewell owners have to follow certain rules. They have to inform the PDO or secretary and receive acknowledgement. If the area has been declared as backward, it is necessary to take permission from the panchayat or the authority. As per the Karnataka ground water protection law, no well can be dug in a distance of 500 meters from public borewell.

If the well is being dug for supply of water in rural area, the concerned officers have to produce a letter of recommendation from the scientists of geology. If is also necessary to inform the concerned panchayat regarding this.
However none of the conditions are strictly followed. If the matter is brought to the notice of officials, they say that they cannot take action without receiving public complaints.

As per a decision taken in April this year, the officials have decided not to issue permissions for any borewells except for agriculture. In instances of drinking water scarcity, water will be supplied through pipes, they say.

But borewells are dug without any hindrance. The borewell machines work at nights digging the well. The wells are then covered with stone or sack. Though PDO is authorized to take action, they act blind.

Licensed people loot the water resources through the work entrusted to them privately. Water is supplied to buildings and industry in broad daylight. PDOs however say that they have not given permission for such borewells. The locals do not complain fearing troubles.

This is not the story of one village, but all villages in the district.