Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 14: Despite receiving significant rainfall during the monsoon, several rural pockets of Dakshina Kannada district are already staring at a severe drinking water crisis. While water sources in upland villages are drying up, coastal villages are grappling with saltwater intrusion.

The situation has become critical in areas like Balepuni, where tanker water supply has already commenced for over 100 households. Last year, tanker supply in gram panchayats such as Manjanady, Balepuni, Konaje, and Naringana started in late March, but this year the necessity has arisen much earlier. Authorities have instructed other vulnerable gram panchayats to keep tender processes ready for water supply.

Regions including Haleyangadi, Indiranagar, Sasihithlu, Pavanje, Kadike, Moodukoppala, areas surrounding the Bhagavathi Temple, Aggidakaliya, and Mundu are facing acute shortages. In these coastal pockets, the primary issue is the infiltration of saltwater into local open wells and borewells, rendering the water unfit for consumption.

To mitigate the crisis, the district administration has prepared a plan for 99 emergency water maintenance works across nine taluks at an estimated cost of Rs 1.50 crore. These works include the drilling of new borewells, repairs to existing ones, and the extension of pipelines to unserved areas.

Officials at Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat stated that seven Multi-Village Scheme (MVS) drinking water projects have been undertaken in the district.

"Currently, two projects are already supplying water. Out of the remaining five, one project is awaiting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Forest Department. We expect the other projects to be completed by August," sources said.

The administration is closely monitoring the situation to ensure that the water scarcity does not escalate as the summer intensifies.