As borewells dry, rivers shrink, Haveri braces for scarcity in summer

Haveri: Haveri district, with a population of around 16 lakh, is facing water scarcity at the very onset of summer this year, despite heavy rains last monsoon. The district relies heavily on rivers and lakes as its primary water sources, but inadequate rainfall, unscientific projects, and poor water management have led to water shortage in recent years, with concern that the crisis may worsen in the coming days.According to weather reports, the current average maximum temperature in the district was 35°C, with the possibility of temperatures rising 2-3°C above normal in the coming days. The district administration has estimated that 195 villages may face drinking water issues at the peak of summer.The district has about 2,000 lakes, including small, medium, and large ones, which are crucial for agriculture, livestock, and drinking water, apart from rivers. However, due to poor management, the lakes have dried up at the onset of summer.Indiscriminate drilling of borewells has led to many going dry, causing the groundwater level to drop rapidly. Water flow in the district's lifeline rivers, Tungabhadra, Varada, Dharma, and Kumadhvathi has significantly reduced. Declining water levels in these rivers as early as Feb is described as alarming, and some villagers are forced to use stagnant water.The reported reasons include a lack of desilting and proper maintenance of lakes, which has reduced their water storage capacity; illegal sand mining from riverbeds, which caused water to flow away quickly during the rainy season and left rivers dry at the start of summer; unscientific drilling of borewells without replenishment; unchecked deforestation, which doubled the rate of water evaporation due to a lack of greenery; ineffective implementation of water conservation projects such as percolation pits and rainwater harvesting; and delays in water supply projects, while irrigation projects are not in pace with population growth and water usage.According to estimates by the rural drinking water and sanitation department, 195 villages across 125 gram panchayats in the district may face drinking water crisis this summer. Taluk-wise, the projected number of villages facing drinking water issues is as follows.Quote: Approximately 200 villages were identified as potentially facing water shortages this summer. Necessary measures will be taken to ensure adequate water supply to these villages - Malatesh P, executive engineer, rural drinking water and sanitation department, Haveri.Taluk-wise numbers Byadgi - 32 Hanagal - 25 Haveri - 18 Hirekerur - 18 Rattihalli - 12 Savanur - 34 Ranebennur - 31 Shiggaon - 25 Total - 195