MAGADI(RAMANAGARA DISTRICT): Shanubhoganahalli, a tiny village near Magadi in Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency, has over 160 houses with 700 people. Under Jal Jeevan Mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship programme, the government has achieved its target of installing taps in the village. People of the village call them “Modi nalli” (‘Modi’ tap).
“Some people came and installed these taps last year, but we haven’t received water since then. Besides, we have mandala nalli (panchayat tap) through which we get water once in two days, that too for an hour or so. We have to fill our pots and vessels by then. The situation has worsened now with no rain and water sources drying up in the village,” Lakshamma, who is in her 60s from Shanubhoganahalli, told The New Indian Express.
Lakshamma was happy when local officials installed a tap in front of her house, assuring her of water supply almost daily. But this did not happen. Not a drop of water flowed from the tap since its inception, she said.
Centre blames state for dry taps
People of other villages near Shanubhoganahalli too face a similar situation. This initiative to provide tap water to people residing in villages was implemented by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, in association with the state government.
The aim is to provide tap water connection to every rural household across the country by 2024. The Centre, however, blames the state government for the slow progress in the implementation of the scheme and this is the main reason for people not getting water.
Interestingly, Shanubhoganahalli is just a few yards away from the Thippagondanahalli reservoir from where water is pumped to most parts of Bengaluru. Over a period of time, water flow into the reservoir declined for want of rain. The reservoir has dried up and borewells in the village have no water.
Rangappa, a farmer from Shanubhoganahalli, said that his village has not received proper rain for more than seven years now. “Earlier, we used to get water easily, within a few feet of digging wells. But now, we have to drill almost 700 ft. to get water. We have been forced to depend on borewells now for water,” he added.