Baje dam dries up, water shortage hits Udupi

Udupi town is facing acute drinking water shortage as Baje reservoir has completely dried up.

Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner Anand Kallolikar told DH that there was no water in Baje reservoir.

Hence, the water supply is stopped for two days and dredging work has been initiated in the reservoir on Sunday morning to collect water.

He said the deputy commissioner had approved the dredging work which will be continued till Monday.

“If at all the water is collected in the small pond-like structures on the surface of the reservoir, only then the water supply can be resumed on Tuesday. The Udupi CMC was supplying water once in three days till recently. As there was no water, the rationing now would be for more than three days. The CMC will take a call on water supply after studying the availability of water after completing the dredging work on Monday.”

The evaporation level is high and the water is drying up faster than ever, he added. The water situation has already worsened and the administration is chalking out plans to draw water from other sources to supply to residents.

The water rationing was in practice from February end once the inflow of water to the dam stopped. When compared to last year, the water level decreased at a higher rate. Adding to the woes the district did not receive any rain unlike in 2018.

Last year, there was downpour in the month of March, which substituted the water needs until the advent of the monsoon.

The places situated at elevated areas have been facing water crisis for the last one month.

Water is supplied through tankers to a few wards, where water connection is yet to be provided by the municipality.

‘Hopes on rain’

Kallolikar said, “We are only hoping for rain to ease the situation.”

Once the water crisis surfaced, the authorities had identified 16 borewells and 10 wells to supply water in addition to water from Baje reservoir.

Sadly, the water-level in these water bodies are also gradually declining.