A multi-village drinking water project, expected to benefit the residents of 124 villages in Nanjangud, was dedicated to the public by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday.
The project is touted to be a permanent solution to the drinking water scarcity that plagues the region because of recurring drought. Water will be supplied from Kapila river which flows in the region.
Harnessing modern technology for treating water lifted from the river, the multi-village drinking water project — estimated to have cost ₹125.10 crore — will cater to nearly 1.47 lakh people who were dependent on groundwater for meeting their primary and secondary requirements all these years.
According to officials, the groundwater table in the region has depleted and dropped below 800 feet in some places, and as a result even borewells have failed. Water will be pumped from the river to the treatment plant at Madapura near Hullahalli, at a distance of 5.5 m from the riverbank. A storage tank of 590 kilo litre capacity has been constructed for supply and distribution. There is a mechanism in place for continuous monitoring of the drinking water that will be supplied to the 124 villages.
Officials said the project has been completed bearing in mind the future requirements of the villages, whose population is expected to grow to 2.42 lakh by 2030. The pipelines extend to 288.48 km and two heavy-duty pumps of 240 HP and 300 HP have been installed for water supply.
Other projects
In addition to launching the drinking water project, the CM inaugurated or laid the foundation stone for various other works worth ₹484.76 crore (including the drinking water project). This included a mini-Vidhana Soudha constructed at a cost of ₹12 crore and a girls hostel (₹2.19 crore). He also laid the foundation stone for various amenities for the Government PU College for Girls at Nanjangud town at a cost of ₹1.55 crore.
Public Works Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, Chamarajanagar MP R. Dhruvanarayan and other elected representatives were present.
