Vanishing lake worries residents

CMC plans to sink four borewells on lake bed to solve drinking water woes

Satyamangala which has the tag of the second largest gram panchayat of the state, is not free from water problems that haunt the residents.

The Satyamangala lake has almost dried and the residents fear the lake would vanish by the end of December.

After declaring the district has drought-hit, 18 borewells were sunk in the limits, but 14 out of them have gone defunct.

Vidyanagar alone has 21 borewells among which water is available from only two of them. It has been difficult to supply water even once in ten days to residents.

The Satyamangala gram panchayat has now decided to sink four borewells in the lake bed itself.

Vidyanagar, one among prominent layouts of Hassan has not been included under City Municipal Council and is still a part of Satyamangala gram panchayat. This has turned out to be a headache for the CMC as it is not been able to fulfill in the drinking water demands of the layout.

Though many other layouts with lesser population come under City Municipal Council (CMC), Vidyanagar has been kept apart from the set. Officers of various departments and many politicians reside in the particular area but have turned a blind eye over including it in CMC.

Water from Yagachi and Hemavathi reservoirs flow through the canals nearby Satyamangala and Vidyanagar, but residents are deprived of the water.

Vidyanagar alone has 3,000 houses against 20,000 population of Satyamangala gram panchayat and there are only three borewells to supply drinking water.

Amidst all the problems, a valveman of gram panchayat who was demanding money from residents to release water was thrashed recently. The accused denied to provide new valve for those who did not pay money. Agitated residents battered him, damaging his cycle too.

Officials of GP insist on written order from government to release water from Hemavathi reservoir to Vidyanagar. The authority had placed pipeline for water supply to its limit few months back, but water through it was supplied for not more than two days.

GP president Premamma said that a memorandum is submitted to deputy commissioner and zilla panchayat to be clear in supply of Hemavathi water to Vidyanagar. She noted that the region should soon be included to CMC.