Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala

Karkala, Apr 10: Even as the intensity of heat continues to rise day by day along the coastal belt, untimely rains occurring two to three times a week in the foothills of the Western Ghats have come as a boon for Karkala.

The rains have significantly increased the water level in the Mundli reservoir, bringing relief to residents of the town who were otherwise apprehensive about a summer water crisis this year.

Mundli reservoir, a key source of water supply within the municipal limits, is now filled due to the recent rainfall. With sufficient storage available, excess water is being released. The reservoir, which has a storage capacity of 3 MLD, is being used to pump water round-the-clock to the Ramasamudra sump. From there, water is supplied to various wards in the town as well as to the Bandimath tanks.

In hilly areas with rocky terrain such as Banglegudde, Sadbhavanagar and Parneeru, public wells have already dried up. Residents in these localities depend solely on the water supplied from the Bandimath tank. However, with the Mundli reservoir now replenished, drinking water concerns in these regions have eased.

A robust system has been put in place to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the town. At Mundli, two jet pumps of 125 HP capacity have been installed. At the Ramasamudra pump house, two pumps of 40-jet capacity each are functioning at the lower level, while three additional pumps at the upper level are facilitating continuous water distribution, municipal officials said.

Originating in the foothills of the Western Ghats, the Swarna river flows through Mallaru, Mulluru, Heranje and Edappadi in Mala village before joining the Kadari stream. Further downstream, it takes the form of ‘Ennehole’ and later emerges as the Swarna river, providing water to the Mundli reservoir through a dam before flowing towards Udupi.