Water crisis hits Kushalnagar

With summer around the corner, Kushalnagar town is already facing an acute shortage of water.

With the scorching heat, the water level in River Cauvery has also started receding.

The water board is supplying water to Kushalnagar town as well as Mullusoge Gram Panchayat.

Kushalnagar has more than 40 layouts and the newly formed layouts are yet to be provided water connections.

There are more than 25,000 people in Kushalnagar and Mullusoge GP limits. As per the population, the area requires 40 lakh litres of water daily.

However, the water board is able to supply only 28 lakh litres of water. There is a shortage of 12 lakh litres.

Due to the water crisis, the authorities are supplying water for two hours once in three days.

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The lakes and water bodies in Kushalnagar town have been quenching the thirst of the domestic animals and birds.

With the receding water level in the Harangi reservoir, the release of water to the canals has also been suspended. As a result, the farmers have to depend on their own sources of water for summer crops.

Farmers lifting water from the river has also resulted in a decline in water level in the river. To store water, the Town Panchayat has initiated measures to build a bund using sand.

To find a permanent solution to the water woes and to supply water round the clock, the water board has prepared an action plan for Rs 85 crore and submitted the proposal to the government.

The permanent drinking water project envisages the utilisation of water from the Harangi reservoir. If the proposal is approved, then water woes will be solved.

Under Jal Jeevan Mission, the Centre has released Rs 2.5 crores to supply piped water to all the households in Kushalnagar town, said the officials.

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Water board assistant engineer Anand said that with the recede in water level in the river, water is supplied once in three days to Kushalnagar town and Mullusoge Gram Panchayat.

Town Panchayat president B Jayavardhan said that a detailed project report to supply water from the Harangi reservoir has been submitted to the government.

Measures will be taken to solve the water woes in Kushalnagar, he added.

Town Panchayat chief officer Krishnaprasad said that a proposal to construct a bund across River Cauvery has been submitted to the deputy commissioner.

The bund to store water will be completed within a few days, which will help in supplying water to the residents. A sum of Rs 4.96 lakh has been earmarked in the budget to initiate a rainwater harvesting system, he said.

M D Krishnappa, a resident of Nehru Layout, said, "We are already facing an acute water crisis. The borewells and open wells have dried up. Water should be supplied daily."