'Water at AMR dam only for drinking purpose' 

Mayor Kavitha Sanil said Deputy Commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha has directed MRPL, MSEZ and AMR Power Pvt Ltd not to lift water from AMR dam for purposes other than for drinking water supply. The water from the dam should not be released to the river, she added.

Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, she quoted the DC’s order dated March 9 and said that the water from the dam should be utilised for drinking water purpose only. There is a need to arrest the use of water stored in the dam for other purposes, she said.

According to the order, a meeting has been convened keeping in mind the peak summer season and the AMR Power Pvt Ltd was directed to maintain the water level to its full capacity once the inflow of water halts and not to use the water without prior permission from the district administration.

The order has been issued because water storage at Thumbe dam, which supplies drinking water to the city, has depleted and the inflow of water to the dam has stopped.  
The DC’s order comes in the wake of Mangaluru City Corporation commissioner Mohammed Nazeer writing to the district administration to restrict the use of water from AMR dam.

In his letter to the DC, the MCC commissioner had said that the inflow of water to river Nethravathi has halted completely. As a result, about 15 cm water is used daily from AMR and Thumbe vented dams. If MRPL and MSEZ continue to lift water from AMR dam, then water level in the dam would reduce considerably. The MRPL lifts 6 MLD water while MSEZ lifts 9 MGD water from AMR dam daily, he had said in the letter.

Following the order, Mangaluru City Corporation has deputed two engineers at AMR dam site to monitor the situation and ensure that the water is not lifted for industrial purposes, the mayor said. The officials at AMR dam also furnish details on the water level to the MCC on a daily basis.

An official from AMR Power Pvt Ltd said that the partial production of power has been stopped at the site for the last eight days with zero inflow of water to the dam.