Excise Minister and District In-charge Satish L. Jarkiholi reviewed the water crisis situation with Deputy Commissioner N. Jayaram and senior officials of Belgaum City Corporation and Karnataka Urban Water Supply, Drainage Board and Belgaum Urban Development Authority at the BCC office here on Monday afternoon.
The present shortage of drinking water was due to poor rainfall resulting in dry spells since April this year.
The weak monsoon had led to the depletion of water levels at Rakaskop and Hidkal reservoirs.
The level at Rakaskop across Markandeya river, the main source of water to the city and situated 18 kms away, was hardly one feet above the bed.
However, concerned authorities were drawing nine to 10 mgd (million galleons per day) from Hidkal dam across Ghataprabha river, nearly 51 kms away from the city to suffice the drinking water needs of the residents here.
Around 12 mgd was being drawn from Rakaskop as long as there was water in the reservoir, he said.
Mr. Jarkiholi said a total of 12 mgd was available from the two sources of water and therefore the authorities had cut down the frequency of supply to once in six to seven days. The administration was utilising every available source of drinking water, including borewells, open wells and rejuvenating some of the old open wells.
That apart, six tankers of 5000 litres capacity had been engaged to supply water to Ramtirthnagar and other localities of the city.
He directed the officials to take every possible measure to tackle with the shortage of drinking water and hoped to receive rainfall soon.
Feroz N. Sait, MLA (Belgaum North), Sanjay Patil (Belgaum Rural), Mayor Mahesh Naik, deputy mayor Renu Mutkekar, BCC Commissioner Ravi Kumar Executive Engineer of the water supply board Prasanna Kumar were present.
