Rationing of drinking water may soon become a reality for cities like Mysuru, Bengaluru and other towns banking on the Cauvery for the same as experts air divergent views on pumping water from the dead storage of Krishnaraja Sagar dam.
The Cauvery Technical Consultative Committee had arranged a discussion at the Institute of Engineers here on Tuesday inviting eminent engineers, in the wake of the poor storage in KRS and Kabini dam.
Retired State Chief Engineer Vijayaraghavan objected to drawing water from the dead storage, arguing that it was not safe for the dam. “The safety of the dam should be important. The dam’s stability will be at stake if water is pumped from the dead storage,” he maintained. He suggested water rationing but the measure would not help much with little water to distribute.
C.M. Babu, former chairman, Institute of Engineers, Mysuru, said KRS would not be harmed if water is sourced from its dead storage to tide over the crisis. “The dam has been built to withstand all conditions – full storage and empty. It’s absolutely safe to pump water from its dead storage,” he said, citing the example of Almatti dam from where water was drawn from dead storage to meet demand.
Former Mysore Grahakara Parishat president Maj. Gen. S.G. Vombatkere (retd), a structural engineer, stated that pumping water from dead storage may disturb the strata underneath the dam. “The pumping may alter the life of the dam. We need to think about whether it is safe to take this risk.” He added that it also depended on how much of water would be pumped from the dead storage.
It was stressed upon that residents of in Mysuru and Bengaluru ought to understand the gravity of the situation and respond to the crisis by keeping wastage of water to the minimum.
Other suggestions
Listing out suggestions, M. Lakshmana, convenor, Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens’ Mysore, suggested rationing water once every three days and sinking of borewells on the bank of the Cauvery for emergency supply to Bengaluru and other cities. The judicious use of water and stringent action against those selling water in tankers at high-prices were his other suggestions. Watering of gardens and washing of cars should be banned until the monsoon sets in. Only 50 litres of water should be supplied daily to each person for the next three months.
Penalty for wasting water
The Cauvery Technical Consultative Committee, which met here on Tuesday in the wake of the looming drinking water crisis with poor storage in Krishnaraja Sagar, resolved to prevail upon the district administration and the Mysuru City Corporation to penalise those who waste drinking water.
Wastage of water should be treated as a criminal offence. The MCC commissioner was empowered to book cases against persons indulging in the same, under the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964, according to the committee.
Former MGP president Maj. Gen. S.G. Vombatkere (retd) suggested penalising those wasting water.
ACICM Convenor M. Lakshman said the committee will also urge the Deputy Commissioner to take over all private borewells in the city to prevent indiscriminate use that affects groundwater.
