The Rotary Charitable Trust of Moodbidri which has rejuvenated four waterbodies in the ‘Jain Kashi’ (that is Moodbidri) has now planned to give a ‘madaka’ (a traditional water harvesting structure) a facelift.
In addition, the trust is in the process of publishing a booklet having detailed information on 20 waterbodies, of whom eight have been revived, in the surroundings of Moodbidri.
The ‘madaka’ identified for rejuvenation is at Basavanakaje. It is locally called Basavanakaje Kere, P.K. Thomas who presently heads the trust told The Hindu.
The CDD India, a Bengaluru-based non-profit organisation, working on water and sanitation solutions, has joined hands with the trust and prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for the rejuvenation, he said. “We are now looking for funds,” Mr. Thomas said.
Earlier, the trust had rejuvenated the Mohalla Kere or Teertha Kere, Uliya Kere, Kemplaje Kere and Subhashnagara Kere under its ‘Rotalakes’ project between 2016-17 and 2019-20 when a doctor R.V. Muralikrishna headed the it. Those waterbodies have held water in hot summer now in addition helping re-charging open wells nearby.
Booklet on waterbodies
Mr. Thomas said that the trust, Rotary Club of Moodbidri, the CDD India and Moodbidri Town Municipality will bring out the booklet in June.
Of the 20 waterbodies, in addition to the four waterbodies already rejuvenated by the trust, Kadala Kere, Chandrashekara Temple pond, Venkatramana Temple Kere and Alangar Kere have been revived by other organisations.
The remaining waterbodies which will feature in the booklet and which have to be revived are Gouri Kere, Aramane Kere, Aramanebagilu Kere, Kerebasadi Kere, Kalyani Kere, Pottu Kere, Umigundi Kere, Kadadabettu Kere, Vidyagiri Kere, Anakasaale Kere and Somaneshwara Temple Kere.
Amrut Malla, a doctor of Moodbidri, said that the prominent Guri Kere needed a facelift. The government should join hands with voluntary organisations and support their initiative of reviving waterbodies. It should constitute local level committees for the rejuvenation, management and conservation of public water bodies as some taluks of the district have already joined the list of drought-hit taluks.
With rain playing truant, the government declared Mangaluru and Bantwal taluks in Dakshina Kannada and the entire Udupi as ‘drought-hit’ for the first time in 2016-17. The government declared the entire Dakshina Kannada ‘partially drought-hit’ in January 2019. It declared Mangaluru and Moodbidri taluks in Dakshina Kannada and Brahmavar taluk in Udupi district as ‘moderately drought-hit’ in 2023.
