Water Crisis! MCC asked to Draw Water from Maravoor Dam in Case of Water Shortage
Mangaluru: The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has been asked to explore possibilities of drawing from the Malavoor dam on the city outskirts in case the demand increases considerably in the future. At a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting held, Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel suggested the MCC to check if water can be drawn from the Malavoor dam to ensure supply to adjoining wards if a situation arises. Malavoor dam, which was built across the Phalguni river under a multi-village drinking water scheme for Rs 42.5 crore in 2017, has been catering to the drinking water needs of 14 villages in and around Mangaluru.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel
At present, Mangaluru city depends only on the Thumbe dam across the Netravati river located in Bantwal taluk. Meanwhile, many villages between Thumbay and Mangaluru have also been drawing water from the city corporation’s pipeline. Currently, 160 MLD water is being lifted from Thumbe dam and supplied to Mangaluru, Mulki, Ullal and en route to other villages. Hence, the MP suggested the city corporation look at the possibility of lifting water from the Malavoor dam in future. Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur spoke to the media that water can be supplied to Marakada, Kunjathbail, Kavoor, Pachanady, Thiruvail and Kulshekar wards from Malavoor dam if required. A new water treatment plant will have to be constructed at Malavoor dam for this purpose.
MARAVOOR DAM
The city corporation will study the possibilities of lifting water from Malavoor dam in future, he said. Meanwhile, MCC is also preparing plans to commence the work on the construction of a water treatment plant of 125 MLD capacity near the newly constructed dam at Adyar. The plant will be constructed near the new dam, which was built across the Netravati River at Adyar-Harekala. The project will help Mangaluru city mitigate the drinking water crisis during peak summer. A bhumi puja will be held soon for the new water treatment plant to be constructed on 10 acres of land at Adyar, he added.
“39 V, 112 Wards in Urban Areas Likely to Face Drinking Water Shortage in Dakshina Kannada”-, Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan in his communication to media said that 39 villages and 112 wards in the urban areas are likely to face drinking water scarcity this summer. Reviewing the drought mitigation measures during the meeting of the District Disaster Management Authority, Muhilan directed officials to take all measures to meet the drinking water requirement of people and livestock. Asking urban local bodies to set up helplines for people to report on water problems, he said care should be taken in maintaining the purity of the water that is supplied. Asking officials to make regular field visits, Muhilan asked them to identify new places where borewells could be drilled.
DK Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan
An official from the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) said the Thumbe vented dam, which supplies drinking water to the city, Ullal, Mulky and three-gram panchayats, has 6 m high water storage. Every day water from the downstream (seepage water) of the dam is being pumped again to the dam to maintain the water level at the dam. As many as 15 tankers are being used by MCC to supply water to areas in high altitudes that are facing problems in drinking water supply. An official from the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department said drinking water is being supplied through multi-village drinking water schemes. Water at the height of 1.5 meters at the Malavoor vented dam is also available for use, the official said.
DC Muhilan said water at vented dams at Adyar and Biliyur in Puttur taluk, which are under the control of Minor Irrigation, can be used to meet drinking water requirements. He directed officials to keep a close watch on levels of water in the Thumbe, AMR and Malavoor dams and take appropriate measures when it drops. While asking officials to keep a close tab on the availability of water, he told them to look for alternative water sources and also make use of private borewells. If there is any problem with the water supply, officials will be held responsible, warned Muhilan.
