Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (JD)

Udupi, March 27: In view of the onset of summer, sources of drinking water are depleting in the district due to rise in temperature and the summer heat, many precautionary measures are being taken in rural areas to solve the problem of drinking water shortage. Amidst the governmental efforts hundreds of villages in rural Udupi are fearing scarcity of drinking water.  

There are a total of 247 villages that are under the jurisdiction of 155 grama panchayats of the district, out of which 337 inhabited areas of 42 villages in 25 grama panchayats of Brahmavar taluk, 100 inhabited areas of 16 villages in 10 grama panchayats of Kaup taluk, 164 residential areas of 23 villages of 12 grama panchayats of Udupi taluk, 9 grama panchayats of Hebri taluk and 15 villages with 79 inhabited areas, 88 inhabited areas of 26 villages of 21 grama panchayats of Karkala taluk, 244 inhabited areas of 22 villages of 15 grama panchayats of Byndoor taluk and 415 inhabited areas of 59 villages of 38 grama panchayats of Kundapura taluk are expected to be affected.

A total of 1,427 inhabitants of 203 villages in 130 grama panchayats of the district might get affected during the current summer season.

To deal with the problem of drinking water shortage, more than 70 borewells and 25 wells have been identified under government and private ownership to provide drinking water to the villagers.

Karkala, Hebri and Brahmavar taluks of the district have been declared as partially drought-hit taluks and a total grant of Rs.25.00 lacs each to these taluks will be released by the government to undertake works of urgent need to provide for drinking water.

Also, a grant of Rs.20.00 lac for each taluk, totaling Rs.140.00 lac has been provided for to carry out emergency drinking water works.

The public should use the drinking water supplied by the local grama panchayats sparingly without wasting it unnecessarily. It has already been suggested to take immediate action on behalf of the GPs in case of repairs in the drinking water pipelines.

In case of acute shortage of drinking water in rural areas, private borewells and wells have been identified and hired to provide water.

SLRM has been instructed to take action on behalf of the concerned grama panchayat in case of necessity to supply drinking water through vehicles or private tankers.

Public drinking water should not be used for other purposes like gardening, car washing etc. If drinking water is used for other purposes, the panchayats have been directed to disconnect the water supply to these taps.

In case of drinking water problems in rural areas, complaints can be filed by calling the 24/7 helpline number 18004257049 that has been opened at the district level, said the executive engineer of Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department in a release.