Will Mangalore Go Thirsty Once Again this Summer?

by Keshava Murthy NV
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore

Mangalore, Feb 14: The city is on the verge of facing a water crisis what with the gradual approach of summer. The citizens are already sensing a tinge of summer heat much before its actual onset. Scarcity of water and other problems arising from it are common to the city during the peak of summer. Though Mangalore enjoys the tag of being a city that gets torrential rains spread over four months, it is also one of the worst-hit when it comes to water scarcity.

Summer is often labelled more critical and with major infrastructure development in city and suburbs underway, the demand for water would be comparatively higher. According to official sources of engineering section in Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), Mangalore city requires 24 to 26 million gallon litres per day but MCC can provide only 20 million gallon litres of water per day at present and during the summer the situation becomes worse. The alarming situation calls the district administration to chalk out a plan of action immediately.

Experience in past shows that the district administration must supervise the mushrooming of private providers of drinking water, who draw water from unknown sources to supply among the city folks, for both non-domestic establishments like hotels, juice parlours and domestic needs. The hygenic conditions maintained by such suppliers cannot be relied upon and may pose a threat of giving rise to water-borne diseases.

Compelling providers to maintain a register of treatment of water or chlorinating water and furnishing it whenever necessary will change things for the better in the long run, if carried out on daily basis. Thus the department of health and the district administration must ensure that every one in the city and suburbs are supplied uncontaminated drinking water, be it from corporation or from private providers.

It is often reiterated that prevention is better than cure. Strengthening water network or utilizing water effectively and efficiently is not enough to solve the problem of scarcity of water. Conservation of water can be a panacea in this regard. Educating people on rain water harvesting can be an effective tool in keeping the problem at bay. This could effectively prevent the scarcity of water forever. People must be educated on how to collect and store water, especially during rainy season, thus materializing effective water management.

It is time to set the stage for inducting rain water harvesting as Netravathi, the life line of Mangalore, is drying up slowly and steadily. The concentrated redistribution of factories and companies in the region also stresses that we need to rely upon alternative and effective sources of water. Mangalore should get ready to sweat during rainy season in order to cool its heel in summer. Water harvesting could be an effective tool to scare away the scarcity and keep the city on safer side. 

Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) has a major role to play in this regard. Summer can be effectively used to overhaul the network of water supply in the city for safe drinking water. Ensuring hygiene at the level of source is not only enough - it is also important to ensure the sanitation in the transit of drinking water as the damage in the pipelines may contaminate potable water.

The situation has undergone a sea change with  taps being installed in kitchen which have replaced community taps. Community taps are rarely seen nowadays. Though it is another sign of modernity, it also depitcs the hardships confronted owing to lack of foresight. It constrains the authorities to educate households particularly housewives regarding effective water management. NGOs have to think more in this regard and must work with the authority in educating consumers on how to save water.

Mangalore has been relying upon 'backyard treasure' (open wells) since times immemorial for its water requirements. The task of resolving water crisis also involves preserving the treasure in a better condition. 

A saying goes 'we may sometimes lose precious present, but we must not lose lessons to have better future.' The Corporation and the district administration should take steps to complete the pending projects, like the construction of mini dams and upgrading the existing system at the earliest. Mangalore is growing at a fast pace and the city has to equip herself in all respects as it is on the threshhold of becoming one of the prime cities of India in the near future. Better water supply, if managed effectively, will definitely make Mangalore a heaven and lay the foundation for its metamophosis in to a major cosmopolitan.