Relax ban on sinking borewells, BJP urges state governement

The Dakshina Kannada district BJP unit has urged the state government to relax its order on banning sinking of borewells in Karnataka. Briefing reporters here on Wednesday, Dakshina Kannada BJP unit president Sanjeev Matandoor said the farmers are affected with the ban. “In spite of Dakshina Kannada district experiencing good rainfall, the district faces acute shortage of water for drinking and agriculture purpose from January to May.

In such a scenario, farmers and general public depend on borewells for the supply of water. With the state government imposing a ban on sinking new borewells, farmers are apprehensive over safeguarding the horticultural crops including arecanut.”

It may be recalled that the state government, on August 20, had issued orders banning sinking new borewells in Karnataka to prevent the already receded groundwater table from decreasing further. He said all the gram panchayats and taluk panchayats in Dakshina Kannada have passed a resolution seeking relaxation from the state government from restriction order. The state government should help the farmers in the region, he added.

Support to ‘Rathayatra’
Extending support to the ‘Pancha Theertha-Sapta Kshetra Ratayatra’ by the Nethravathi Samrakshana Samyukta Samithi under the leadership of MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Matandoor said Nethravathi is the lifeline of the district. Implementation of unscientific Yettinahole project will have a catastrophic effect of Western Ghats. “The farmers and people in Dakshina Kannada district are dependent on Nethravathi river and its tributaries for livelihood. Yettinahole project will also affect fish population, which will directly affect the fishermen.”

Noting that there is a close affinity between rivers and places of worship in Dakshina Kannada district, he said that the ratayatra will cover all the five taluks and eight assembly constituencies.

In spite of series of protest by Nethravathi Samrakshana Samyukta Samithi, the state government has failed to convene a meeting with the activists who have been opposing the project to discuss on the pros and cons of the project. This has raised doubt over the motive of the government, he felt.
Stating that the BJP is not against supplying water to arid districts of Chikkaballapura, Kolar, Ramnagar, Matandoor said the supply of water should not be at the cost of Dakshina Kannada district.

Instead of Yettinahole, the state government can take water from Hemavathi and Sharavathi rivers. In addition, the government can also take up work on rejuvenation of lakes in the arid districts by recharging the groundwater table.