Karnataka - Hassan   

Belur, Halebid reel under shortage of water

A view of the Yagachi dam near Belur in Hassan district.

HASSAN: Thousands of tourists visit Belur town and offer prayers at the Chennakeshava temple every day. The town has a population of over 20,000. The Yagachi and Vatehole rivers — tributaries of the Hemavathy — flow through this taluk. Over 5,000 acres of fertile land was submerged when the Yagachi dam was built. Farmers as well as the people were under the impression that the dam would change their lives. But, this was not to be.

Even 25 years after its construction, the residents of Belur, which is only 5 km away from the dam, have no water to drink.

Chikmagalur town, which is 50 km away, gets water from the Yagachi reservoir. Drinking water supply schemes to Arsikere, 60 km from Belur, are in the process of implementation.

Halebid is 10 km from Belur and is also an important tourist centre. Those who visit Belur make it a point to visit Halebid.

Despite such a huge inflow of people, the two towns are yet to have regular water supply. Madihalli village near Halebid is also in need of drinking water.

The water from borewells in Halebid and Madihalli contain fluoride and several people have been affected by fluorosis. Generally, reservoirs have two banks — the left bank and the right bank — so that people residing on both sides of the river get drinking water as well as water to irrigate their farmlands. But, the Yagachi reservoir has only left bank. If the right bank is developed, drinking water as well as water for irrigation to more than 100 villages can be provided. There is water in the reservoir, but petty politics have prevented its effective utilisation, the local people feel.

A few years ago, as Leader of the Opposition, B.S. Yeddyurappa visited Belur and took out a padayatra from Belur to Madihalli demanding drinking water in these places.

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