Belagavi is facing severe drinking water shortage in the wake of a poor monsoon so far The storage level at the Rakaskopp dam, the main source of drinking water across the Markandeya about 18 km from the city, has not improved. The situation is similar at other dams such as Hidkal and Navilteerth across the Ghataprabha and the Malaprabha in the district.
According to officials in the District Statistical Office here on Wednesday, the overall deficit in Belagavi district accounts for 24.01 per cent for June as on Wednesday morning, while the deficit in Belagavi taluk was 29.5 per cent. Of the normal rainfall of 240 mm for June, Belagavi taluk received only 169.2 mm.
The storage, as on Tuesday afternoon, is feared to be the lowest in the last 33 years, according to Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board Executive Engineer Prasanna Murthy.
He said that only six pumpsets were operating, even as the storage level was fast depleting and installation of pumpsets in the lower levels was becoming problematic due to the presence of silt.
The existing storage might last only four more days. Only a good spell of rainfall will help improve inflows and raise the storage level at the dam immediately.
The water level at the dam as on Wednesday was 2,442.10 ft (2468.80 ft on this day in 2015) as against the full reservoir level of 2,475.00 ft. The rainfall in the catchment areas of the dam had been much less than expected, eventually leading to depletion of the water level at the dam.
Meanwhile, fresh rainfall of low to medium intensity lashed Belagavi city and surrounding areas, including places near Rakaskopp, for about two hours in the afternoon.
The following is the taluk-wise rainfall for June as on Wednesday with figures in brackets indicating normal rainfall: Athani 69.7 mm (78 mm), Bailhongal 34.1 mm (89 mm), Belagavi 169.2 mm (240 mm), Chikkodi 43.2 mm (86 mm), Gokak 75.8 mm (69 mm), Hukkeri 40.2 mm (102 mm), Khanapur 180.6 mm (371 mm), Raibag 32.4 mm (72 mm), Ramdurg 171.3 mm (68 mm) and Saundatti 146.2 mm (87 mm).
