The Hindu : Drinking water scarcity worsens

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 04, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Drinking water scarcity worsens

By Our Staff Correspondent

TUMKUR, MARCH 3. The drinking water scarcity has worsened in Sira and Kunigal towns, many villages in C.N. Halli taluk and Dodderi in Madhugiri taluk of Tumkur district.

The members of C.N. Halli Taluk Panchayat on Wednesday expressed their anguish over the problem of drinking water scarcity faced by the people in Huliyaru, Dasoodi, Hoysalakatte, Kallenahalli, Pura, Aralikere, and Jogihalli. They alleged that the officials had not bothered to solve the problem.

Siddesh, a member, alleged that the officials had misused the funds meant for drinking water projects. He had brought this to the notice of higher officials, but no action had been taken.

The people of Papanakona in C.N.Halli taluk said that C.B. Suresh Babu, who represented C.N. Halli in the dissolved Assembly, had organised a mini-tanker to supply drinking water to the village. But the officials withdrew the facility recently. The residents had to fetch water from a well that was located 3 km away from the village.

Members of the Dodderi Gram Panchayat in Madhugiri taluk said they would lead the residents of all five villages of the panchayat and block the road on Friday in protest against the failure of the officials to solve the drinking water problem. They said the six-day Dodderi Jatra would begin on Thursday and the scarcity of water would lead to outbreak of several diseases in the area.

They alleged that the officials remained insensitive to the people's problems. M.K. Murugappa Gowda, former president of Sira Town Municipal Council, told presspersons that the water supply in the town had been mismanaged. Several borewells were abandoned.

K.C. Raju, President of the Kunigal Municipal Council, took up cudgels against those tapping water directly from the main pipelines. However, he did not succeed in preventing them from doing so as he came under the influence of politicians. Common people continued to suffer, although two water tankers had been drafted into service.

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Karnataka