B. Ramanath Rai, Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada, said the State government has sanctioned ₹7 crore in compensation to those whose land has been submerged by the Netravati as water in Thumbe dam has been stored up to 5 m.
Speaking at a meeting here on Friday, the Minister said that the government has agreed to sanction another ₹32 crore in compensation to others whose land will be submerged when water is stored upto 6 m next summer. The Minister said that if water was stored up to 6 m, there would be enough to supply to the city in acute conditions. He said that the government has agreed to reserve the additional fund of ₹32 crore in the 2017-18 Budget.
The Chief Executive Officer of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat M.R. Ravi said that the panchayat has plans to construct 1,150 mini vented dams across the district in the next financial year. Each dam would cost ₹2.32 lakh. Such dams would help re-charge ground water. He said that the panchayat has plans to dredge and rejuvenate 61 dry water sources (ponds and tanks) in the district under the Kere Sanjeevini programme. Of these, 42 were in Bantwal taluk and the remaining in Mangaluru taluk. This would require ₹13.32 crore.
In all, 12 habitations, under the jurisdiction of 12 gram panchayats in Mangaluru taluk, have been identified as probable areas which would face water scarcity this summer.
An official said that in urban areas, 12 wards in Ullal, nine in Bantwal, 17 in Mulki, 11 in Kotekar and 16 in Vitla and three wards in Mangaluru have been identified as probable wards that could face water scarcity this summer. In urban areas, five water sources (ponds and tanks) covering Mulki, Ullal, Kotekar and Vitla could be dredged and rejuvenated.
Mr. Rai asked officials to be prepared to deal with water scarcity this summer as the government had declared Mangaluru and Bantwal taluks as drought-hit, owing to the poor South-East monsoon last year.
