Will disconnect supply if piped water is used for other purposes, warns Udupi ZP

As many as 1,427 habitations in 203 villages of 130 gram panchayats in the district might face water scarcity, estimates the Zilla Panchayat

A multi-village drinking water scheme infrastructure fed by the Souparnika (Kollur) river in Nada village, Byndoor taluk. The Udupi Zilla Panchayat has estimated about 203 villages in the district might face drinking water shortage this summer. | Photo Credit: File photo

Anticipating scarcity of drinking water in rural areas with the continuation of harsh summer, the Udupi Zilla Panchayat has cautioned disconnection of tap water supply if residents were found using water for purposes other than drinking.

An official release here said the ZP has directed gram panchayats to disconnect water supply if people were found using water for gardening, vehicle washing, and such activities. People should judiciously use the piped water that was being supplied by panchayats, it said.

The ZP has estimated as many as 1,427 habitations in 203 villages of 130 GPs in the district might face water scarcity in the coming days. The district has 247 villages under 155 gram panchayats.

Water scarcity was expected in 337 habitations of 42 villages under 25 GPs of Brahmavara taluk, 100 habitations in 16 villages under 10 GPs of Kaup taluk; 164 habitations in 23 villages under 12 GPs of Udupi taluk, 79 habitations in 15 villages under nine GPs of Hebri taluk, 88 habitations in 26 villages under 21 GPs of Karkala taluk, 244 habitations in 22 villages under 15 GPs of Byndoor taluk, and 415 habitations in 59 villages under 38 GPs of Kundapura taluk, the ZP said.

Water sources identified

The ZP has identified over 70 government and private-owned borewells and 25 open wells that have sufficient water across the district to cope up with any water scarcity. It has also directed GPs to identify private borewells and open wells in their limits to draw water by paying rent to their owners. The gram panchayats were authorised to utilise the dry waste collection vehicle or private tankers to supply drinking water whenever the need arises.

The government has released ₹25 lakh each to Karkala, Hebri, and Brahmavara taluks, which were declared partially drought-affected, to undertake emergency works to supply drinking water. The government has also released ₹20 lakh each to seven taluks in the district to undertake emergency drinking water works, the ZP said.

The Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department’s executive engineer said people in rural areas may call the helpline 18004257049 round the clock if there was any problem in the drinking water supply.