Two-month countdown
However, the water in the dam will last for two months. Power fluctuations have created problems for supplying water from the pumping station. There has been no regular supply of power for even three to four days daily.
Even when there is power, voltage fluctuations are creating a problem, resulting in the machines going out of order, say the water board officials.
The British had modernised the Bethamangala reservoir and had set up the pumping station 110 years ago.
Giant pipelines were laid for a length of 12 km. The British had also provided the necessary powerlines to ensure constant supply. Even after the erstwhile KEB took charge of the supply apparatus later, it provided for a express feeder line to ensure there are no voltage fluctuations.
Falling to pressure
In later years, some influential persons started pressuring the KEB to allow them to draw separate lines, thereby affecting proper power supply to the pumping station.
Though the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited has acquired land for a new substation at Guttahalli near Bethamangala, work is yet to start.
Technical problems
As many as 40 villages comes under the Bescom office of Bethamangala. They draw power from the sub-stations at Andersonpet and near the tollgate. There is a technical glitch to supply power to the pumping station from a distance of 15 km.
Bescom officials know that the only solution to the problem is setting up a sub-station at Guttahalli at the earliest. But they are not able to move in that direction.
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