Beltangady: Dwindling Water Flow in Netravati Worries Dr Veerendra Heggade
by Sunil Bekal
Beltangady, Apr 13: Since the last several days, water flow in Netravati River, the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada district, has enormously dwindled, indicating a distinct possibility that it might dry up completely within a few days. The river water remains hygienic only when it continues to flow, and once the water gets stranded, pollutants in the water can inflict untold miseries on the people. If the lifeline of the district dries up, how can the lives of the people, vegetation and animals that depend on the river, be sustained? This is the million dollar question that has been haunting the people.
Netravati River that flows through Beltangady and Bantwal taluks before joining the Arabian Sea near Mangalore, provides drinking water to lacs of people, and irrigates plantations and paddy fields on its route. The depleting water level in Netravati River has sent the warning bells ringing at this critical period of extreme summer, said Dr D Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadikari of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala.
Addressing the media persons near the bathing bay on the bank of Netravati River at Dharmasthala, near here on Tuesday April 13, Dr Heggade elaborated on the consequences of the declining water-level in the river.
Causes for depleting water level:
The rainfall during the monsoon season has been steadily declining over the years. More and more people have started drawing water from Netravati River for drinking purposes, besides irrigating farmlands and plantations by using heavy duty pumpsets. The dwindling water level has caused difficulties for the pilgrims of Dharmasthala, who find it hard to take bath at the bathing bay in Dharmasthala. Dharmasthala also suffers from shortage of drinking water because of this phenomenon. When water flow in the river is robust, sand is created, which can be used by the construction industry. When water flow falls, shortage of sand occurs, resulting in setbacks for the building industry, Dr Heggade explained.
The marine life thrives in flowing river, as it provides abundant food for the large species of marine creatures.
Remedy:
The state government is well-advised to scrap the idea of diverting the flow of River Netravati for satiating water needs of other districts. Instead, it should build several vented dams across River Netravati so that sufficient water gets stored during the monsoons, which can be used during the summer months, advises Dr Heggade.
He is of the opinion that the hydel electric plants do not cause depletion of water flow in river. Instead, such projects result in enriching the underground water table and help in retaining the flow during summer months, he stresses.
Peoples’ awareness essential:
Awareness needs to be created among the pilgrims against polluting the river. A number of measures are being undertaken to educate the pilgrims by the authorities of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala while having sacred dip into the Netravati River at the bathing points in Dharmasthala, said Dr Heggade.
Dr Heggade expressed deep concern over the pilgrims not following the guidelines put up at the bathing bay, by recklessly discarding soaps, clothes and plastic bottles, which in turn pollute the water source.
Construction of houses to flood affected families in Northern Karnataka:
Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala had come forward to construct 1,000 houses for the flood-affected families in Northern Karnataka, with each house costing Rs 1.30 lac. Two hundred houses have already been built and possession of these houses has been handed over to the affected people. Construction of 400 more houses is in progress, while the rest of the houses will be completed by June 2010. Besides, 500 houses of the flood victims were repaired at the cost of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, said Dr Heggade.