Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 19: It has been decided to raise water level at Thumbe vented dam, which supplies drinking water to the city, to six metres. The work of blocking outflow of water began at 12 midnight on Sunday.

After the bitter experience of 2016, the city corporation has been giving importance to prompt action to stop outflow of water to maintain level of water at satisfactory level. The officials have asked people living in areas which are expected to be inundated to exercise caution.

Although it was decided to store water since Sunday morning, in view of holiday crowd an in order not to disturb activities of people living near the backwater, collection of water began on Sunday midnight, said assistant executive engineer of the corporation, Naresh Shenoy.

The step also helps in enriching underground water table. This time, rainfall has been scant after the rainy season. The dam provides for storage of water up to seven metres. But water level of six metres provides the corporation enough room to handle water requirement for sixty days. The level of water at the dam is expected to reach six metres by Tuesday afternoon.