GADAG: In a grim reflection of the ongoing drought, Timmapur village in Gadag district has been grappling with an acute drinking water crisis for over three months. With no significant rainfall and no alternate source of clean water, villagers have been forced to consume slush-mixed, foul-smelling lake water.
The only water body in the area — a fast-drying local lake — now yields water tainted with mud, algae, and stench, raising serious health concerns. Many residents have begun reporting throat infections, cough, and fever, and the fear of a wider outbreak looms.
The crisis has driven villagers to discourage relatives from visiting, and buying tanker water remains unaffordable for most, as the majority are farmers and daily wage earners. Compounding the issue, standing crops are wilting, as Timmapur, Naregal, and the Ron belt have received no monsoon showers, even as nearby areas like Lakkundi and Gadag have seen good rainfall.
In desperation, residents are demanding immediate intervention from the Gram Panchayat and are even considering escalating the matter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah — especially since Timmapur is dubbed “Siddaramaiah Gram” and has a large number of his supporters.
Earlier protests with empty pots yielded no results. Now, villagers are pressing for the removal of the Panchayat Development Officer and insist on a permanent solution to their growing water woes.