Water for half-an-hour once in 2 days

The problem of water shortage has aggravated in Hejamadi Gram Panchayat and the village residents are struggling to get even a potful of water.

Water from five open wells and two borewells are used to supply water in the gram panchayat limits.

As the pre-monsoon showers had lashed during last April and May, the residents had not felt the crisis last year. This year, however, due to lack of such showers, the groundwater level has declined drastically. Further, the salinity level in the well water increases after March, forcing the residents to struggle to fetch water.

There are several kudrus (islands) – Nadikudru, Chennayya Kudru, Swamil Kudru, Mesta Kudru and Kokrani Kudri – in Hejamadi Gram Panchayat.

“People faced acute water shortage by March itself. There are around 125 houses in these kudrus. Water is supplied once in two days for half-an-hour a day to the residents of these kudrus,” said a resident.

“We do not have a well in the house. Water is supplied once in two days. We are purchasing 1,000 litres of water by paying Rs 350 twice a week for our daily chores,” said Nadikudru resident Gopala Kukyan.

The Gram Panchayat fills 5,000 litres of water once in two days to the Shuddha drinking water unit. A borewell has been opened in front of the Panchayat office. As the borewell failed to get water, however, the residents face inconvenience.

Mamatha Y Shetty, Hejamadi Gram Panchayat development officer, said the tender has been floated for supplying water through tankers to the water-hit areas. Water from a private well at Patara is supplied to Kokrani area.