Groundwater conservation collective responsibility: Minister

Mangaluru: Minister for Minor Irrigation NS Boseraju said the state has around 27 lakh registered borewells and that nearly 13,000 borewells have been drilled over the past two years for the benefit of SC/ST communities.

He was speaking after visiting the Belthangady block Congress office at Santekatte on Tuesday, and heard to the grievances of the public. Boseraju said the state govt is implementing several initiatives focused on groundwater recharge and sustainable water management, and stressed that protecting groundwater resources should be a shared responsibility.

There has been a growing demand in the taluk for vented dams and retaining walls. The govt will make sincere efforts to take up such projects, he said. The minister said that under the Atal Bhujal Yojana, works such as lake rejuvenation and construction of vented dams are being undertaken across Karnataka to strengthen groundwater resources. He added that special priority is being given to vented dam projects in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Karwar regions to support the farming community.

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Boseraju alleged that the BJP had politically benefited from a similar process in West Bengal and claimed that nearly 95 lakh voters had been excluded there. He urged Congress leaders and workers in Karnataka to closely monitor the SIR process to ensure that no genuine voters are removed unnecessarily from the rolls.

KPCC general secretary Rakshit Shivaram said that despite heavy rainfall in the region, Belthangady faces water scarcity during summer, making vented dams essential for groundwater recharge. He also appealed to the minister to sanction funds for retaining walls near temples, mosques and riverbanks to prevent flooding.

During the visit, Boseraju offered prayers at Dharmasthala and Southadka Mahaganapathi temple. He also inspected the completed vented dam and bridge project at Maipala in Kokkada.