With temperatures climbing, a severe drinking water crisis grips 197 villages in Davanagere district. The worsening situation across six taluks is causing distress for both locals and livestock. While some lakes still hold water, they are expected to dry up within two months, exacerbating the crisis. In response, the Davanagere Zilla Panchayat (ZP) is formulating strategies to mitigate the problem.
Rural communities are likely to endure significant hardships as summer intensifies. To combat the shortage, ZP officials have identified private borewells to supplement supply. Reports indicate that 74 villages in Davanagere taluk and Mayakonda hobli will be severely affected, along with 27 in Harihar, 11 in Channagiri, 29 in Honnal, 18 in Nyamati, and 38 in Jagalur.
Revansiddappa, a resident of Vaddinahalli, voiced concerns, stating that despite four borewells in his village, water scarcity persists. “Our village has struggled for three months. The storage tank is too small, and frequent power cuts limit water distribution. Last year, water tankers were deployed, but the problem remains unresolved. We urgently need new borewells.”
ZP CEO Suresh Itnal warned of escalating shortages in the coming months. Authorities have mapped out vulnerable regions and identified 126 private borewells for rental supply. Plans include redrilling 160 borewells, hydrofracturing two locations, and flushing 90 sites. Government funds, including the 15th Finance Commission grants, will be allocated to secure water availability.
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