Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Nov 6: Deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, Dr K G Jagadeesh, passed on instructions to officials to ensure that all the dams like Thumbay vented dam which provides drinking water to the city, hydel power project dams and other vented dams in the district reach maximum water storage level by December for managing possible water shortage during the summer months.
He was addressing a drinking water management preparatory meeting presided over by him at his office on Saturday November 5. The meeting was organized, taking cue from severe water shortage suffered by the city in particular and the other parts of the district in general during last summer.
Officials of the city corporation, urban administrations and local administrative institutions and representatives of leading industries took part in this meeting.
Jagadeesh told the concerned that all the private dams should store maximum water by December 10. He said that it is mandatory for the concerned to obtain prior permission from the district administration if they plan to generate power from the water so stored. "Engineers of minor irrigation department should keep an eye on these dams. The companies can generate power only if there is water inflow even after water level is maintained at maximum level," he stated.
He asked the city corporation here to see that water level at the new vented dam at Thumbay reaches the maximum level of five metres before the end of December. As per an estimate, 47 acres of land will get submerged by this process, and the corporation should keep the concerned properly informed, and the area which will go under water should be marked with red flags. A meeting of farmers getting affected by this dam should be convened near the dam during the next week. Gates of old vented dam at Thumbay should be fixed before November 15," he directed.
He said that water standing at five metre level at Thumbay dam will suffice for 45 days consumption, while stock at AMR dam will be enough for 58 days. He asked the concerned not to use water from rivers and dams for agricultural activities after January. "For the protection of horticultural crops, we will provide limited facilities only if the plantations concerned have fitted sprinkler system or drip irrigation," he stated, and asked Mescom officials to begin processes of cutting power supply for agricultural pump sets which lift water from the river after January. He asked the concerned to identify alternative private water sources in respective panchyats and urban centres so that they can be taken over in case of exigency.
"We have to supply water to MRPL, IOCL and MCF as people will face problems if chemical fertilizer and energy production are affected. These companies have to give more importance to use of recycled water and take alternative measures to store water," he said. He suggested to stop the plants for maintenance during April so that the problem can be partly addressed.
The deputy commissioner noted that the state government has already banned rigging of borewells, and asked officials to strictly implement this order. He warned that violators will face criminal proceedings. Noting that digging of borewells for government's drinking water schemes has been provided for, he asked officials to use this only as a last resort if no other alternative sources of water are available.
Additional deputy commissioner, Kumar, city corporation commissioner, Muhammed Nazeer, and others were present.