In the hilly terrain of Male Mahadeshwara, a bustling haven for hundreds of tourists drawn to the tranquillity of forest streams and wooded valleys, a harsh reality now casts its shadow over the dry forests and waterholes, forcing women in Palar village, on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, to trek many miles to fetch a pot of water.
Palar, situated just a stone’s throw from the backwaters of the Cauvery, is grappling with a water crisis of unprecedented proportions. The once-reliable pumpwell, a lifeline drilled to quench the thirst of men serving in the Special Task Force during their hunt for forest brigand Veerappan, now stands silent and dry, serving as a poignant emblem of the village’s plight.
Despite its proximity to the mighty Cauvery river, water scarcity has gripped Palar and its neighbouring villages. These families, who once depended on the now-defunct pumpwell, find themselves in a desperate struggle for survival as their daily water requirements remain unfulfilled and they can get only 2-3 pots to meet their drinking water needs.
The plight of these villages reverberates across the region, with settlements like Kurrati Hosur, Shettahalli, Hoogyam, PG Palya and other remote hamlets atop Mala Mahadeshwara hills within Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district facing similar trials. The once-teeming streams have now dwindled, making people depend on tanker supply. Thanks to helpline services, they can expect water instead of taking pots on bikes to tubewells in fields in neighbouring villages.
While human inhabitants grapple with the harsh realities of water scarcity, the increasing density of wildlife in MM Hills is worrying environmentalists, as they rely on dwindling water sources for their sustenance. The drought has not spared tribal hadis in Biligiri Ranganatha hills as there is no drinking water in Puranni podu. With waterholes drying up, the 200 or more families depend on two hand pumps. Although work on water lines was completed a year ago, the tribals are yet to get piped water. Bommaiah, a tribal, said the community would be worst affected if the authorities don’t take measures to supply Cauvery water. They want solar pumpsets to be fixed to fill up water bodies inside forests to save wildlife.
Beyond Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts, villages in HD Kote and Saraguru taluks also face similar adversities. In Hadanuru village panchayat, including Alalahalli, water scarcity has become a hindrance to daily life, compounding the already dire situation. It has made many villages rethink about celebrating the local Mariyamma festival (Mari Habba) and inviting relatives and friends, as there is sufficient water supply due to erratic power supply and the depleting underground water table.