Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (JD)

Mangaluru, May 18: “The state government’s policy of neglecting the drinking water needs and allowing the industries to pump more water from Nethravathi Basin has been the reason for the lack of drinking water in city,” opined Natesh Ullal, spokesperson of Karavali Karnataka Janabhivruddhi Vedike.

He was addressing the media persons in press club on Wednesday, May 18. 

“All our discussions about the drinking water end at opposing the Yettinahole project and we do not look into the basic factors which are causing the water scarcity in this district,” he said.

“Looking at the current situation, there are two major dams before the Thumbay dam from where water is lifted for industrial purposes. One is the Rithwik energy at Sarapady, used by MRPL and MSEZ and another one is AMR dam at Shamboor. No one has the record of the water lifted from the river by the two dams as there is no water level measuring instruments in the backwaters.”

“Sarcastically the state government has approved MSEZ's demand of lifting 5 crore 67 lac litre per day and approved fourth stage of MRPL which would lift six crore six lac litre per day,” he said.

“The national and state water policy states that water should be provided first for drinking purposes and then for industries. If this situation must not repeat in future, no industry should be given a chance to lift more water. The public representatives should raise their voice if any project or measure hampers the interest of the district,” he added.

“The main reason for the scarcity of the drinking water in city are the MCC officials who normally are unavailable to public and are regularly absent in important meetings,” said Vidya Dinkar, legal convener of the Vedike. 

Founding member of the Vedike Dr Ramachandra Bhat and convener Madhukar Amin were present on the occasion.