KARWAR: Facing one of the worst droughts in the last two decades, Uttara Kannada district is struggling to meet drinking water needs of its people. “Ground water is depleted in our village and the situation will get worse in the days to come,” said Darshan Naik, a resident of Avarsa village in Ankola taluk. Depletion of ground water and contamination of sea water into the water sources are the major problem that are causing scarcity of water in the district.
The state government, in August and September last year, declared Haliyal, Mundgod, Yellapur, Sirsi, Ankola and Joida also as drought-hit. The announcement came as these taluks have been facing severe shortage of drinking water. The government also released Rs 50 lakh per taluk to take up drinking water projects. In all, Rs 3 crore was released.
The district administration has sanctioned 375 drinking water relief works at an estimated cost of Rs 251.30 lakh. Out of 375 works, 286 are in progress while 89 are yet to be started. Officials in the district administration told Express that tenders have been floated to start the works. These include supplying of water through tankers, laying of pipelines from available water sources, digging of wells, etc.
Staples, including major crop paddy, grown in a total of 25,319 hectares in the six drought-hit taluks have been damaged due to scarcity of water. The government has released Rs 11.52 crore towards compensation. A total of 22,202 farmers were given compensation of Rs 9.20 crore so far. Thankfully, the district is not facing a scarcity of fodder. Fodder, sufficient for the next 10 weeks (two-and-a-half month), is in stock, said an official who takes care of calamity-related matter at the DC’s office.
The Irony of deprivation
