Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Apr 22: People are longing for rain as the level of water at Netravati river is low and Sarapady river has gone dry. As water used to be stored at AMR dam every year, there used to be a moderate amount of water in the river at Sarapady Ajilamogaru area. However, the water from AMR dam was made to flow to Thumbe this year causing water scarcity in the villages in Sarapady. The scarcity is felt at nine villages nearby.

Though the Bahugrama drinking water project is implemented at Sarapady, Netravati river has gone dry at Sarapady. The ground water levels have decreased and bore wells have also gone dry. Perla and Beeyapade area that gets submerged due to the water released from the dam in the monsoon are dry. People have installed pumps for the river and are getting water to a distance of about one and half kilometres through pipes. The Mangaluru City Corporation has opened all the gates from the AMR dam to maintain a level of 6 metres of water at Thumbe dam.

If water gets stored in AMR dam, there will be a sufficient amount of water. The water supply is suspended as there is no water at Sarapady jack well.

As the river water in Ajilamogaru vicinity has dried up, a road connecting Kadeshwalya is made through the river bed. People going to attend fairs to Kadeshwalya temple are making good use of the road.