Haveri
Due to the lack of rain, all rivers in the district have dried up in September. Normally, the water level in Tungabhadra, Varada, Kumadvathi and Dharma rivers used to be at a satisfactory level in September every year. However, this year, due to a lack of rain, all rivers have gone dry, which has also triggered drinking water problems for people and livestock. Farmers have been using pumps to lift water from rivers, and some of them have been fighting for river water. The department of minor irrigation has been putting up gates for bridges to stop water in Varada River, but they have been taking action only after the river has dried, farmers allege.
Not only rivers but most water bodies in the district are running dry and groundwater is depleting to record low levels. Normally, 80 per cent of tanks were filled through the Upper Tunga Project (UTP) Â canal, but due to rain deficit, even 20 per cent of water bodies have not been filled through UTP this year. Severe rain scarcity was also witnessed in the catchment areas of the Tungabhadra River in Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts as well. This has impacted all major water resources fed by Tungabhadra River.
We have witnessed heavy rain in the last three years and crops were washed away in the Varada River flood, but this year we are facing severe drought as water scarcity has already begun. We were supposed to protect our crops at least through pumps by lifting the river water, but this time, the Varada River dried up in the first week of September itself. It will become very difficult to get water during the next summer, shared Siddalingappa Kalkoti, a farmer from Koradur village.
