‘Villages in 42 GPs face water scarcity’

'Members were not allowed to use funds for supplying water through tankers’

The BJP has claimed that villages under 42 gram panchayats are facing scarcity of drinking water in Dakshina Kannada. The party said here on Thursday that the State government should reveal what plan has it initiated to supply water to those villages.

Addressing presspersons, president of Dakshina Kannada unit of the BJP Prathapsimha Nayak claimed that a situation had arisen where such villages were required to be supplied water using tankers on priority basis.

He said that as underground water table had dropped in those villages borewells have dried up. Some of the villages facing water scarcity included Konaje, Pudu, Ullal and villages under Bantwal taluk.

He said that each constituency of the zilla panchayat had been allocated Rs. 15 lakh each for projects relating to drinking water supply. The fund was meant for drilling borewells and laying pipeline. The members were not allowed to use the fund for supplying water through tankers. The need of the hour was to supply water using tankers.

The government should reveal how long it would take for it to supply water, he said.

Mr. Nayak said that rains accompanied with lightning and heavy winds created havoc in many villages, especially in Belthangady taluk, recently. Many farmers have lost areca nut and rubber trees. Banana plantations have been affected. There were heavy losses in Indabettu, Kadirudyavara, Navura and Kanyadi villages in Belthangady taluk. The government should provide compensation to those farmers who suffered losses, at the earliest.

He said that the BJP opposed increase in power tariff proposed by Mangalore Electricity Supply Company. The government should first supply regular power to irrigation pump-sets.

Sringeri shooting

Referring to Anti Naxal Force (ANF) personnel allegedly shooting down a cattle trader near Sringeri recently, he said that different ministers wanted different amounts of compensation to be given to the victim’s family. Initially the Home Minister announced that Rs. 5 lakh would be given as compensation.

Later, Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada said that the amount had been increased to Rs. 10 lakh. Another Minister demanded that the amount should be increased to Rs. 20 lakh.