Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Sep 2: Families located in Herikudru isle, which is surrounded by saline water, are reeling under paucity of drinking water since the last two weeks. The people are angry at the despicable situation persisting in this village, which happens to be the home constituency of the taluk panchayat president, Bhaskar Billava, because of unrestricted sand mining business that has been flourishing here.
Herikudru is home for over 15 sand mining establishments. As per the rules framed by the department of mines and geology, every contractor is permitted to indulge in sand mining with the help of five boats and 20 labourers. But in Herikudru, over 15 boats and 70 workers are employed for deep water sand mining. This is the root cause for the problem.
Herikudru happens to be a place where one is sure to get salty water when a well is dug. Therefore, a plan was sanctioned under which water is supplied through pipeline passing under water through Varahi rivulet from a water tank located near Anagalli gram panchayat office. Over 250 families living in Herikudru are entirely dependent on this tap water for their daily needs for fresh water. However, because of proliferation of sand mining units, and passing of overloaded boats across water supply pipes, these pipes get broken often. In one such incident, water pipe got severed 15 days back, depriving people of this village of drinking water.
As there has been shortfall of rain this time, the people of Herikudru are facing the need to go to far off Tallur village or Sangam area in the town to collect drinking water in cans and pitchers. Some local youth have made efforts to address the problem by bringing water in tanks.
Sand policy has been in force in the entire district. The mines and geology department and office of the deputy commissioner of the district, which have barred fresh water sand mining under the rule relating to sand bar, provided for sand mining indirectly under a rule meant for clearing of sand dunes in salt water. Because of shortage of sand and ban on fresh water sand mining elsewhere, there has been high demand for sand mining in backwaters. This has given rise to uncontrolled sand mining in the river bases in violation of rules and conditions.
The gram panchayat and owners of sand mines have been approached several times with a request to address the water shortage. They have been told in no uncertain terms that excessive sand mining has been creating problems for the villagers, duly asking them to enforce rules strictly. Taluk panchayat president, Bhaskar BIllava, said that the concerned have been asked to attend to pipeline repairs immediately by calling for an emergency meeting.
Anagalli gram panchayat development officer, Anil, says that the panchayat has been kept abreast of the problem and that steps would be taken by convening emergency meeting at the earliest.
Anil, a resident of Herikudru, notes that he too is involved with sand mining without flouting rules. He said that water pipeline is getting damaged because of flagrant violation of norms by some sand miners. He wanted the drinking water crisis to be addressed immediately, and warned of undertaking strong forms of protest if the problem is overlooked.
Another villager, Shekhar Billava, said that the people of Herikudru are suffering because of shortage of drinking water, and expressed anger at the reluctance of the gram panchayat to address the problem. He noted that the sand miners supply water to their workers in tankers, whereas the villagers are neglected by both sand miners and gram panchayat administration, He too warned of resorting to the path of agitation if the concerned fail to address this problem immediately.