Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru/Udupi, May 5: Water rationing and water supply woes are continuing in both the districts. The Baje Dam that supplies water to the city of Udupi is completely dried up. In order to supply water for the city of Udupi by pumping water through dredging, two days of time is required. So there will not be water supply in the city on May 5 and 6. According to the municipal commissioner water supply to the city of Udupi may resume on May 7.
The water level in the Baje dam was less than 1.25 meters on Saturday, May 4. If the administration does not wake up and explore alternative solutions, the situation will worsen. The real issue of water supply to the city of Udupi will be known on Sunday, May 5. At present, water is supplied once in three days. However, in certain areas, people have to wait for water. In some places water is not supplied since a week. Places which are on a high zone, are not getting water as the force of water that is being pumped is not enough to reach high zone areas.
There is around four feet of silt accumulation in the Swarna River. The work of removing this also is not done. The administration is just buying time so that this work will be postponed till the rainy season, after which there is no need to carry out this work. It is said that if the silt would have been removed in proper time, this situation of acute water shortage would not have arrived.
The water woes in the city of Udupi assumed serious proportions in April and May months of 2017. In 2018, the problem did not take serious turn as it rained in the month of May itself. However, the situation in the current year is alarming.
Though there are plenty of tankers waiting to supply water, there is no source of water in the city. The tanker owners are requesting the public to inform them of any water source, so that they can supply water to needy people.
Anand Kallolikar, municipal commissioner says, "In order to supply water after dredging two days of time period is required. Public has to cooperate with the administration in this regard. Attempt will be made to restore water supply from May 7."
Mangaluru city to receive water till May 7
The water supply that was stopped in the city for two days due to water rationing, resumed on the morning of Friday, May 3. Excepting certain high zone areas, water was supplied to almost all parts of the city till the evening of Saturday, May 4.
As the water level in the Thumbay vented dam is depleting day by day, the water rationing system, which was abolished earlier, was re-instated. The MCC has already published the list of date and timings of water supply in the city till May 21. The present 96-hour period that has started on the morning of May 3, will continue till May 7 at 6 am. Then there will be no water supply for the next 48 hours.
Though the water supply was started after a gap of 48 hours on the morning of Friday, May 3, nearly half of the areas of the city did not receive the pumped water till late night of Friday. The situation was better on Saturday May 4. The areas, which have not received water till the evening of Saturday, are being supplied with water through tanker.
The level of water in Thumbay dam that was 4.59 meters on the evening of Friday, May 3, reduced to 4.54 meter on 6 am, Saturday, May 4.