ZP seeks RS 5.6 cr to tackle water woes in DK district

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Zilla Panchayat Executive Engineer Sathyanarayana S L said “Dakshina Kannada district faces shortage of drinking water due to depletion of water resources in the summer. In spite of the region receiving heavy rainfall, the borewells become dry during summer. The action plan has already been submitted to the government to undertake the emergency work related to drinking water.

In the meantime, the department of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development has released Rs 15 lakh each to Task Force of each constituency to undertake emergency work related to drinking water. However, the Task Force can only sanction funds for drilling borewells.

It can not undertake works related to laying pipeline, electrification and distribution system. The funds will have to be raised from Calamity Relief Fund for the same. The Task Force has already started control rooms in every taluk and the complaints related to shortage of drinking water is looked into. The action plan of Rs 5.60 crore was prepared to lay pipelines wherever it was necessary and to undertake other emergency works.”  
67 unused borewells

As many as 67 borewells drilled in Dakshina Kannada during last summer are not being used. These borewells were drilled by the engineering wing of the panchayat on the instructions of MLAs to overcome the shortage of drinking water.

They remained unutilised as their need was not felt during last summer. The engineering wing had capped these borewells.

A proposal of Rs 112 lakhs have been sent to the government for undertaking the work on electricity connection, installing pumps and laying pipelines to supply water from already dug 67 borewells.

“We have infrastructure for supplying water. However, improper distribution is affecting us. At the same time, few borewells go dry during peak summer, which aggravates the problem. As of now, we have not received any demand for borewells in the district,” he added.  

To tackle the problem, tankers will be pressed into service and water will be supplied to residents of villages facing severe water crisis in the district.

“We have identified 122 places in Mangalore taluk where the work on laying pipelines, pumps may have to be undertaken. Similarly, there are 35 places in Sullia, 100 in Puttur, which may require additional works of laying pipelines and installing pumps,” he said.

Rs 52 cr plan

To tackle the water crisis in Manjanady, Balepuni, Someshwar, Ira, Belma, Kotekar villages, an action plan of Rs 52 crore has been prepared to supply water from Thumbe by constructing a jackwell near the dam.

Initially, the action plan was prepared for Rs 20 crore. However, on the direction of the previous Deputy Commissioner V Ponnuraj, we took into the requirements of the institutions like medical colleges, engineering colleges, hospitals and revised the amount.

Now the preliminary survey report is ready. Institutions like Yenepoya Medical College and Nitte University have agreed to bear part of the cost of the project. The action plan has been submitted to the government for approval, he added.