The Hindu : Karnataka News : Water woes may leave new MLAs exasperated

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Karnataka

Karnataka

Water woes may leave new MLAs exasperated

Vishwa Kundapura

Women in many villages of Kolar district spend most of their time fetching water

Voters hopeful that the government will find a solution
Varthur Prakash has made it a condition to support the BJP

UP IN ARMS: A file picture of people of Totli staging an empty vessel demonstration in front of the grama panchayat office demanding drinking water.

KOLAR: “We have to wait for days together to get drinking water at our place,” Rathnamma, a house maker at Totli in Kolar taluk says.

Nagaveni, a resident of Gulpet area in Kolar town, said that fetching a vessel of drinking water is taking most of the time in the morning. “It has formed the main daily household activities,” she said.

The chorus of women in rural and city areas alike reflects the acute drinking water shortage in the district. Chickballapur district too was facing the same problem.

Depletion of water table, scarcity of drinking water, lack of potable water, flouride contamination, non-availability of enough water for agricultural activities.... all these have found place in speeches of almost all political parties and candidates in the just concluded Assembly elections. Besides local leaders, State and national leaders from H.D. Kumaraswamy to Brinda Karat, from S.M. Krishna to Rajnath Singh too have referred the issue in their speeches during electioneering in the region.

Promises have poured on the thirsty people of the region during the run up to the elections. Now that the election process was over, it is time for newly elected representatives and political parties to pay their attention towards addressing the daunting task of solving water woe in general, and providing potable water for the people in particular.

People are up in arms against the authorities for their failure in making proper arrangements for supplying water. For example, Totli villagers, including men, women and children, staged a empty vessel demonstration in front of gram panchayat office.

Reports about several such agitations from people are pouring in daily from one or the other place which is a pointer to the seriousness of the problem.

According to Varthur Prakash, Kolar MLA, solving drinking water scarcity in his constituency was his priority. “Keeping this sole objective in mind I have extended support to the BJP Government,” he told The Hindu.

Although Mr. Prakash’s assertion that the Government should provide Cauvery water to Kolar might not hold good for some technical and legal reasons, his concern in this direction was widely appreciated. And the people were expecting more from this enthusiastic first time legislator.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader S. Madhusudhan has called upon all the elected representatives of Kolar and Chickballapur districts to bury their political differences and work to mitigate the water problem. It is in this background that the report of irrigation expert G.S. Paramashivaiah assumes importance. The report deals on bringing the Netravathi water to this barren region. Also, the responsibility lies on the shoulders of the new legislators to work towards ensuring speedy execution of the Yergol drinking water project for which foundation stone was laid when H.D. Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister.

The Jakkalamadagu dam project meant to satiate drinking water needs of Chickballapur and Doddaballapur residents is crying for attention.

With most politicians focussed on the water problem, Shashwata Neeravari Yojane Horata (Struggle for Permanent Irrigation Project) is likely to be revived. “Such a project is badly needed for the survival of agriculture and the over all development of the region,” said Holur Shankar, leader of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha.

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