BENGALURU: Over 700 people from 11 taluks of four districts of North Karnataka have come all the way to Bengaluru for their cause: Malaprabha river water. They are demanding notification of the Mahadayi Tribunal order, so that the state can use its share of river water.
Water has a deep impact on their lives: their lands are often wracked by drought, but were also caught in the fury of the recent floods. Lacchavva, from Mulluru village in Belagavi, said there has been a continuous drought in their village for many years. They grow cotton, channa, maize and other crops.
“This year, there was flood, it washed away our crops and even soil from our farm. All our groundwater has dried up, we get nothing from the borewell. With no rain or water, how can one expect us to get better yield? I have three sons, two are working in a bakery as they cannot depend on agriculture alone,’’ she said. “If the Malaprabha is filled, our lakes will also be filled and we will get water,’’ she said.
Earlier, they would get drinking water once in eight days, but it has now improved. “We get water once in four days, sometimes six days. This is because of the heavy rain recently that filled the Malaprabha. We’ve faced more than 23 years of drought in the past 27 years, we never get such rain. Also, the Malaprabha water is mainly for drinking water supply to Hubballi and Dharwad. For us, water is supplied once in four or six days in a week,’’ Manandamma Hiremath from Naragund, in Gadag district, said.
Women of these villages walk 2-3 km to fetch water from lakes or wells. This is one of the reasons why boys here don’t get brides. “We own five acres of land, we grow jowar and maize. But parents of brides don’t want to give their daughters to this village where they have to walk to fetch water. They would rather get them married to office peons,’’ Manandamma said.
Chennamma Naragund said this is the fourth time they are coming to Bengaluru to protest. In 2015, they had protested for five days at Freedom Park, twice in 2017 in front of the chief minister’s residence and the BJP office for a few days. “This time, we will not return till our demand is met,” she said.
Many people in their villages are living in sheds after their houses collapsed in the floods. Bibijan and her family from Naragund, whose house was damaged, pay Rs 200 per month as rent for their shed. “We have lost our houses, but we can construct again. But there is no alternative for water, that’s why we are here,’’ she said. Women like Chennamma have some land but are unable to cultivate it. “I stitch clothes to take care of my son and mother,” she said.
The younger generation is migrating — some to Maharashtra and Goa while others head south, looking for jobs. Sardar from Badami, who came to Bengaluru three days ago. “We own 16 acres of land. With flood and droughts, we are unable to grow anything. I came to Bengaluru as someone assured me a job as coolie at a post-office on contract. If we had water from the Malaprabha, this day would not have come,’’ he said.