Mangaluru: While much of the countryside braces for water scarcity during scorching summers, a 40-acre areca farm in Peruvaje village, Sullia, remains a flourishing green pocket—thanks to a visionary water conservation effort dating back to the 1950s.
At the heart of this thriving farm is a 2.7-acre man-made lake, a legacy of Kanavu Narasimha Bhat. His grandson, dermatologist Dr. Narasimha Sharma Kanavu, and wife Sowmyalakshmi, an agriculturist, now maintain the Kanavu House estate and credit the lake for its resilience. “Even in the harsh drought of 1983, when most water sources dried up, our lake provided sufficient water,” Dr Sharma said.
Strategically built on elevated land that once hosted a paddy field, the lake is bordered by hills on three sides. Initially, kattas (earthen bunds) were erected to trap rainwater. These were gradually reinforced over time. A major repair in 1972 strengthened the lake, which now reaches a depth of nearly 30 feet.
Its higher elevation allows excess water to flow naturally into downhill ponds and streams, irrigating not just the Kanavu farm but indirectly boosting the water table across 200 acres in the surrounding region.
From November, mud bags are placed to conserve water and are removed during the monsoon to allow overflow. This careful seasonal balancing act keeps the lake functioning optimally.
The lake’s upkeep has spanned generations—from Kanavu Gopalkrishna Bhat, who maintained it for 45 years, to the present caretakers: Dr Sharma, his wife, mother Shankari, and brother Narasimha Tejaswi.
Visitors now come from far and wide to study this sustainable model.
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