Dharwad district faces drinking water crisis

Dharwad: With water sources getting dry, Dharwad district is facing a severe drinking water crisis.
Malaprabha reservoir in Savadatti, Belagavi district, is the major source of water for the district. Earlier, Hubballi was getting water from Neerasagar Lake in Dhummavad. Since Neerasagar has gone dry in recent years, Hubballi is also depending on Malaprabha.
With water level at Malaprabha reservoir, the major source of water for Dharwad district, depleting due to paucity of rain, the twin cities are getting drinking water once in 10-12 days. Some areas where the 24x7 water supply scheme has been implemented are getting water on alternate days.
Water has been released through Malaprabha Right Bank Canal for villages in Navalagund taluk. However, the region will suffer when water in the canal gets exhausted. Shirur, Hirenarti, Basapaur, Benaganahalli, Gudenatti and Allapur villages are facing acute shortage of drinking water.
The district administration is supplying water to these villages through tankers for the past one month. With Benachi tank and Dougi Nala which provide water to Kalaghatagi and Alnavar respectively, going dry, the two towns are getting water from borewells once in 12 days.
The district has more than 2,000 borewells. However, depleting underground water has made drilling borewells difficult. While one could get water after drilling for 300 feet, now water is available only after drilling 600 feet. Officials at the department of mines and geology say the depletion of ground water is to the extent of 9.18 metres, which is a matter of concern. Several farm ponds, which came up at the expense of the government, are also dry.
Crop loss
Due to 64% shortfall in rain in the district, there has been extensive crop loss. During Rabi, the district had a sown area of 1.6 lakh hectares and out of it crops in 1.22 lakh hectares was lost leading to the government declaring entire Dharwad district as drought hit. With all the water bodies going dry, it has become difficult even to provide drinking water to cattle. Added to this, shortage of fodder has forced farmers to sell their cattle markets on Tuesdays.
Despite the implementation of MGNREGS, several people are migrating to neighbouring Goa and Maharashtra seeking employment.
Experts say the solution to these recurring problems lies in the implementation of Kalasa Banduri Nala water project. The Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal has decreed that Karnataka can utilize its share of 13.4 tmcft of water from Mahadayi. Out of this, 3.9 tmcft can be used for drinking purpose. The work to utilize Karnataka’s share can commence only after the Central Government issues a gazette notification.