BETHMANGALA, KOLAR: “Even though we have a lake in the locality, we have to pay for water,” said Srinivasa, a resident of Bethmangala.To supply drinking water between 1903 and 1904, Britishers had built a water supply system at Bethmangala reservoir, where a man-made lake was built to store water from the Palar river that flows from Nandi Hills. This would cater to the entire town, all seven days. However, with increase in population, a poorly-maintained Bethmangala Lake and no rain, people are largely dependent on purification plants for drinking water. They spend Rs 8 per can of water, six days a week.

Bethamangala is a small town which earlier belonged to Bangarpet taluk and is now a part of KGF taluk.
The entire water supply system was built at a cost of Rs 11 lakh, including the lake, reservoir, water purification system, and huge pipelines, to supply water to various villages, including KGF.

Even today, many villages and towns surrounding the area receive water from Bethmangala Lake, but just once in a week. On the remaining days, they buy water from water purification plants.

Manjunath from New Town Bethamangala said that they buy a large can which is Rs 160 and can hold 20 litres of water. “There are many water units which are opened for four hours in the morning and four hours in the evening. We pay Rs 8 per can of water,’’ he said. He added, since many years, drinking water was supplied from Bethmangala Lake thrice a week, which later reduced to two days and now, it is just once in a week.

Amarnath, a goldsmith, said that when the unit near Bethmangala is under repair, they have to go to plants located at Doddakaari village, Nagashettihalli or Kotilinga villages, which are three, four and six kilometres respectively. “We cycle or sometimes walk to get one can of drinking water every day,’’ he said.
People who can afford it are drilling borewells at their houses and are spending Rs 18,000 on filters to purify this water. “This apart, we are spending an additional Rs 200 or Rs 300 for power consumption,’’ another resident Narayanaswamy said.

Imran Pasha, a grocery shop owner, said people are to be blamed for the filth in the lake. “They conduct shraddh and other religious rituals, and throw away the pooja material into the lake. It is even used to wash clothes sometimes,’’ he said.