Daijiworld Media News – Mangaluru (SD)
Mangaluru, Jun 7: Due to water rationing in the city, several homes, offices and educational institutions are suffering from water crisis. Due to delayed monsoon, water scarcity is increasing day-by-day. Hence, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has resorted to water rationing.
More than 50 schools in Dakshina Kannada district, especially in Mangaluru North and South zones, are clamouring for water. According to sources, three schools in Mulki and one school in Vittal are supplied water only once a week.
On the other hand, pre-university and graduation classes have also commenced, and water issues have risen in Mangaluru’s main hostels. Ten tankers of water are being supplied daily to one of the city's major educational institutions.
The tanker system is also posing problems as the tankers bringing water from rivers and tube wells and distributing in Mangaluru are occupied. Muhammad Basheer, a resident of Kankanady, says, “I am tired of calling the water tankers. Sometimes, even those who promised that they would supply water, also do not show up.”
Water tankers in Mangaluru have resorted to tube wells in many places. Water has reached the bottom level in most of the tube wells in the city. Since the water level increases a bit in the evening, tankers find it a suitable time to draw water. Tube wells have become the lifeblood of tankers as drawing water from distant rivers takes more time and includes wastage of fuel.
“There is a huge demand for water supply from people. More than 100 tankers are supplying water every two days. We are supplying water on priority to permanent water tanks and then to temporary ones. As there is a lot of work, our time gets wasted in the transit itself. Fetching water from distant places also becomes expensive for consumers,” says a water tanker operator.
Steps have already been taken to solve the problem of water shortage in schools in Dakshina Kannada. A letter has been written to EOs to provide water mainly to schools in Mulki and Vittal. “Efforts are being made to resolve the issues,” says Dayananda Ramachandra Naik, deputy director of public education department of Dakshina Kannada district.
“Local gram panchayats have been instructed to make arrangements through tankers. Taluk EOs have also been asked to take action on the issue,” says Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat CEO, Dr Kumar.
“It would have been better if there was a little delay in starting the academic year in Mangaluru. The district administration should have made arrangements earlier to clean the tube wells and wells within the city limits and make the water fit for drinking. It is piteous to be engrossed in other work without doing that,” says Krishna Bhatt, a parent of a student.
“Tankers are quick enough to supply water to places they have contacts with, including hotels. In other places, we will have to plead to them to supply water. It is important that the district administration and the city corporation take some action,” says Robert D'Souza, a resident of Bendorewell.