Mangalore reeling under water crisis

[email protected] (CD Network)
April 13, 2012

Banu ‘Water water everywhere, not a drop to drink’ cried Coleridge’s ancient mariner. The coastal city of Mangalore too is up against a ‘water crisis’ this summer. The worrying part though is that the alarm bells have sounded even before the onset of peak months of April and May.

On March 25, MLA YogishBhat at a press meet delivered a shocker by stating that water level at Thumbe dam, the only source of drinking water for Mangalore, had dropped down drastically, so much so, that it would suffice for mere nine more days. Mayor GulzarBanu held an inspection at the dam site the very next day and found that the level had indeed nosedived. The level stood at 8’-9”ft while about a month ago, it was more than 13 ft on the occasion of Ganga Puja at the dam. The dip in water level has been alarming this year as compared to water levels recorded on the same date (March 26) in years 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007 which stood at 12’-0”, 11’-8”, 13’-0”, 12’-3”, and 12’-2” respectively.

Dr. Harish, Commissioner, Mangalore City Corporation, says that in the wake of reduction in water level, supply to Ullal and Mulky has also been reduced. Ullal would get about 2.5 mld of water earlier but now it has been reduced to 0.5 mld which is being released once in three days or so. Similarly, Mulky will now receive 0.5 mld on a similar frequency. “The dam, in its full capacity, and with 24 hours of water supply (145 mld), can fulfill water needs for 45 days. Now there has been a dip in water level so the supply would be reduced and the frequency too. It hadn’t rained beyond November this year and there was no rain in catchment areas this time. The river inflow has reduced and evaporation too is taking place faster these days. We request people to be more cautious in their water spending and cooperate with the MCC if it takes tough measures. We are hopeful of rains in catchment areas and if that happens, the entire scenario will change. Nevertheless, in case water shortage continues, we will still be prepared and bring the borewell and tanker services into play”, the Commissioner says.

It is also noteworthy that the corporation would earlier pump water with just two pumps. But about a year ago, it added two more pumps resulting in pumping up to 160 mld every day.

Save_Water_1

As of now, water to all wards is being supplied by the Corporation on alternate days. However, no set time-table is being followed by the Corporation, which has understandably caused inconvenience to the public, something that the Mayor is aware of herself.

“I have been receiving complaints from people of my own ward about the irregular timings of water supply. The other day, water was supplied for a few hours at night when hardly anyone knew. I am very much aware that no set timings are in place as of now and have asked the water supply department to draft a chart” Ms. Banu discloses.

The people are not amused. They have additional problems to deal with too. “Linemen block the gate wall and divert water supply to whoever fills their pockets. First of all they supply water with lesser frequency nowadays and on top of that when people engage in such bribing, we are left with no water” says a frustrated PrakashShetty of Katipalla, 4thblock.

On the other hand, there is the problem of water leakage. It is present at Thumbay dam itself which is why the authorities there have made arrangements to pump back the leaked water into the dam. Other leakages come in the form of broken pipes and pipelines.

The problem faced in Bendorewell earlier this month was one example. Streets were flooded with water and caused massive inconvenience to public and shop owners alike. The digging and road repair works too went on at a snail pace resulting in traffic congestion at the area causing additional ordeal for citizens. MCC Commissioner Dr. Kumar says that such leakage problems are being caused due to fluctuating pressure and the old pipeline system.

“The Chief Minister in his budget speech has spoken about 24x7 water supply programme under which fresh pipelines will be laid which will ensure that there is uniform pressure and hopefully this problem will be solved”, he says.

The Mayor had announced after her inspection of the Thumbay dam that water supply to industries and construction projects would be stopped. But it seems the orders are not being carried out with sincerity, at least as far as water supply to construction sites is concerned. “The lineman is supplying water to a Land Links construction project and we are struggling for water in our homes. Last night was worse. There was no water for even toilet use”, says AnithaPai of Derebail. When Coastal Mirror brought to the notice of the Mayor the alleged supply of water to construction site, she said she wasn’t aware of it and assured that the matter would be looked into.

However water supply to industrial purposes has been stopped. Following the move to draw water from MRPL’s dam, the level at Thumbe dam has risen to 9.5 ft. The Corporation is eyeing the option of borrowing water from Lakya dam belonging to KIOCL too. Ever since Kudremukh iron ore operations came to a standstill, the MCC had been looking at the option of capitalizing on the water no longer in use at the dam for KIOCL. With geographical factors also working in its favour in terms of gravitation pull which means that there is no real need of pumping water, the MCC is seriously considering the option to address the current water crisis.

Save_Water_2 But there are experts who feel that had proper planning and water conservation methods been implemented, there was no need to think of borrowing water from Lakya dam in the first place.


Sri Padre, rain water harvest expert says “To say that a city which receives such heavy rainfall during monsoons borrows water from such a distant place is indeed a disgrace. We have to learn to utilize rain water and increase the life of borewells. There has to be a concept where borewells should be given a break for four months. There has to be a decentralized effort of water conservation. Thumbe should not be looked at as the only water source. People must take the initiative themselves. If you look at institutions such as St Aloysius College and St Agnes College, they are located on higher areas. When there is rain, if an attempt is made to exploit the rain water instead of merely allowing it to flow down the hill and join the sea, these institutions would be doing themselves no harm at all. Implement the concept of recharge wells and try and raise the ground water level. Each and every house can play a role and conserve water”, Mr. Padre says.

Awareness among people regarding the need to conserve water, Mr. Padre says is quintessential.

“The problem with people of Udupi and Dakhsina Kannada is they see water in large quantities during the monsoons and take it for granted, hardly thinking about conservation. But when summer strikes, everyone wakes up and cries water scarcity. The idea of rain water harvesting has to be made common. Judicious water spending is also something that must start from home. People must be judicious enough as to what is the minimum amount of water required to flush their toilets. We see in some places that the pressure of water in taps meant for hand wash would be so high that at times you end up drenching your shirt. This should be avoided”, opines Mr. Padre.

The authorities can bring in a few more changes like bringing in billing for individual flats, Mr. Padre suggests. “The flat culture has now become a part and parcel of cities like Mangalore. Under the current billing system, say if 50 families are staying in one building, a collective water bill is charged. If authorities start charging each of those families or flats separately, perhaps people will be more careful in spending water. This system has brought some positive results in cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad,” Mr, Padre reveals.

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The city’s water woes were discussed in the first council meet after the budget session at the MCC wherein Congress and BJP corporators indulged in blame game over a host of issues, one of them being the work in progress of the new vented dam at Thumbe.

YogishBhat, while admitting that there has been a delay in progress of the work, expressed hope that it would be ready by next year.

“It should have been ready by now. But work has now gathered pace and is even being carried out at night. By next year, with the complete vented dam, will have enough storage facility of water to satisfy the water needs of the region for the entire summer”, the MLA said.

Photos by Ahmed Anwar

Comments

Shantharam Shenai
 - 
Sunday, 5 Jun 2016

We have been working with water issues for two decades now. Of relevance today to MANGALURU ( MANGALORE ), is the water crisis. We have understood how coastal wells are actually fed from the sea. Those wells which provided good water in the past can be fixed by our Eco Technology which is cost effective, needs no machinery and energy. Coastal wells can provide limited amounts of water on a perenial basis even if there is no rain. I learnt that the Mangaore Corporation has identified some private wells and is drawing water for public distribution, to provide succor to its citizens. I am visiting MANGAORE, will leave on 9th June 2016 for Mumbai. My number is +91 8454097701. I will be happy to make a presentation to explain how MANGALORE can plan its water security very simply.

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Ram Puniyani
February 22,2020

This January 2020, it is thirty years since the Kashmiri Pundits’ exodus from the Kashmir valley took place. They had suffered grave injustices, violence and humiliation prior to the migration away from the place of their social and cultural roots in Kashmir Valley. The phenomenon of this exodus had been due to the communalization of militancy in Kashmir in the decade of 1980s. While no ruling Government has applied itself enough to ‘solve’ this uprooting of pundits from their roots, there are communal elements who have been aggressively using ‘what about Kashmiri Pundits?’, every time liberal, human rights defenders talk about the plight of Muslim minority in India. This minority is now facing an overall erosion of their citizenship rights.

Time and over again in the aftermath of communal violence in particular, the human rights groups have been trying to put forward the demands for justice and rehabilitation of the victim minority. Instead of being listened to those particularly from Hindu nationalist combine, as a matter of routine shout back, where were you when Kashmiri Pundits were driven away from the Valley? In a way the tragedy being heaped on one minority is being justified in the name of suffering of Pundits and in the process violence is being normalized. This sounds as if two wrongs make a right, as if the suffering Muslim minority or those who are trying to talk in defense of minority rights have been responsible for the pain of Kashmiri Pundits.

During these three, many political formations have come to power, including BJP, Congress, third front and what have you. To begin with when the exodus took place Kashmir was under President’s rule and V. P. Singh Government was in power at the center. This Government had the external support of BJP at that time. Later BJP led NDA came to power for close to six years from 1998, under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Then from 2014 it is BJP, with Narerda Modi as PM, with BJP brute majority is in power. Other components of NDA are there to enjoy some spoils of power without any say in the policies being pursued by the Government. Modi is having absolute power with Amit Shah occasionally presenting Modi’s viewpoints.

Those blurting, ‘what about Kashmiri Pundits?’ are using it as a mere rhetoric to hide their communal color. The matters of Kashmir are very disturbing and cannot be attributed to be the making of Indian Muslims as it is being projected in an overt and subtle manner. Today, of course the steps taken by the Modi Government, that of abrogation of Article 370, abolition of clause 35 A, downgrading the status of Kashmir from a state to union territory have created a situation where the return of Kashmiri Pundits may have become more difficult, as the local atmosphere is more stifling and the leaders with democratic potential have been slapped with Public Safety Act, where they can be interned for long time without any answerability to the Courts. The internet had been suspended, communication being stifled in an atmosphere where democratic freedoms are curtailed which makes solution of any problem more difficult.

Kashmir has been a vexed issue where the suppression of the clause of autonomy, leading to alienation led to rise of militancy. This was duly supported by Pakistan. The entry of Al Qaeda elements, who having played their role against Russian army in 1980s entered into Kashmir and communalized the situation in Kashmir. The initial Kashmir militancy was on the grounds of Kashmiriyat. Kashmiriyat is not Islam, it is synthesis of teachings of Buddha, values of Vedant and preaching’s of Sufi Islam. The tormenting of Kashmiri Pundits begins with these elements entering Kashmir.

Also the pundits, who have been the integral part of Kashmir Valley, were urged upon by Goodwill mission to stay on, with local Muslims promising to counter the anti Pundit atmosphere. Jagmohan, the Governor, who later became a minister in NDA Government, instead of providing security to the Pundits thought, is fit to provide facilities for their mass migration. He could have intensified counter militancy and protected the vulnerable Pundit community. Why this was not done?

Today, ‘What about Kashmiri Pundits?’ needs to be given a serious thought away from the blame game or using it as a hammer to beat the ‘Muslims of India’ or human rights defenders? The previous NDA regime (2014) had thought of setting up enclosures of Pundits in the Valley. Is that a solution? Solution lies in giving justice to them. There is a need for judicial commission to identify the culprits and legal measures to reassure the Pundit community. Will they like to return if the high handed stifling atmosphere, with large number of military being present in the area? The cultural and religious spaces of Pundits need to be revived and Kashmiryat has to be made the base of any reconciliation process.

Surely, the Al Qaeda type elements do not represent the alienation of local Kashmiris, who need to be drawn into the process of dialogue for a peaceful Kashmir, which is the best guarantee for progress in this ex-state, now a Union territory. Communal amity, the hallmark of Kashmir cannot be brought in by changing the demographic composition by settling outsiders in the Valley. A true introspection is needed for this troubled area. Democracy is the only path for solving the emigration of Pundits and also of large numbers of Muslims, who also had to leave the valley due to the intimidating militancy and presence of armed forces in large numbers. One recalls Times of India report of 5th February 1992 which states that militants killed 1585 people from January 1990 to October 1992 out of which 982 were Muslims and 218 Hindus.

We have been taking a path where democratic norms are being stifled, and the promises of autonomy which were part of treaty of accession being ignored. Can it solve the problem of Pundits?

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Ram Puniyani
March 14,2020

In the wake of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) UN High Commissioner, Michele Bachelet, has filed an intervention in the Supreme Court petition challenging the constitutionality of the Citizenship Amendment Act, as she is critical of CAA. Responding to her, India’s Foreign Minister S. Jai Shanker strongly rebutted her criticism, saying that the body (UNHCR) has been wrong and is blind to the problem of cross border terrorism. The issue on hand is the possibility of scores of people, mainly Muslims, being declared as stateless. The problem at hand is the massive exercise of going through the responses/documents from over 120 crore of Indian population and screening documents, which as seen in Assam, yield result which are far from truthful or necessary.

The issue of CAA has been extensively debated and despite heavy critique of the same by large number of groups and despite the biggest mass opposition ever to any move in Independent India, the Government is determined on going ahead with an exercise which is reminiscent of the dreaded regimes which are sectarian and heartless to its citizens, which have indulged in extinction of large mass of people on grounds of citizenship, race etc. The Foreign minister’s assertion is that it is a matter internal to India, where India’s sovereignty is all that matters! As far as sovereignty is concerned we should be clear that in current times any sovereign power has to consider the need to uphold the citizenship as per the principle of non-discrimination which is stipulated in Art.26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political (ICCPR) rights.

Can such policies, which affect large number of people and are likely to affect their citizenship be purely regarded as ‘internal’? With the World turning into a global village, some global norms have been formulated during last few decades. The norms relate to Human rights and migrations have been codified. India is also signatory to many such covenants in including ICCPR, which deals with the norms for dealing with refugees from other countries. One is not talking of Chicago speech of Swami Vivekanand, which said that India’s greatness has been in giving shelter to people from different parts of the World; one is also not talking of the Tattariaya Upanishad’s ‘Atithi Devovhav’ or ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam’ from Mahaupanishad today.

What are being talked about are the values and opinions of organizations which want to ensure to preserve of Human rights of all people Worldwide. In this matter India is calling United Nations body as ‘foreign party’; having no locus standi in the case as it pertains to India’s sovereignty. The truth is that since various countries are signatories to UN covenants, UN bodies have been monitoring the moves of different states and intervening at legal level as Amicus (Friend of the Court) to the courts in different countries and different global bodies. Just to mention some of these, UN and High Commissioner for Human Rights has often submitted amicus briefs in different judicial platforms. Some examples are their intervention in US Supreme Court, European Court of Human Rights, International Criminal Court, and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. These are meant to help the Courts in areas where UN bodies have expertise.

 Expertise on this has been jointly formulated by various nations. These interventions also remind the nations as to what global norms have been evolved and what are the obligations of individual states to the values which have evolved over a period of time. Arvind Narrain draws our attention to the fact that, “commission has intervened in the European Court of Human Rights in cases involving Spain and Italy to underscore the principle of non-refoulement, which bars compulsory expulsion of illegal migrants… Similarly, the UN has intervened in the International Criminal Court in a case against the Central African Republic to explicate on the international jurisprudence on rape as a war crime.”

From time to time organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been monitoring the status of Human rights of different countries. This puts those countries in uncomfortable situation and is not welcome by those establishments. How should this contradiction between ‘internal matter’, ‘sovereignty’ and the norms for Human rights be resolved? This is a tough question at the time when the freedom indices and democratic ethos are sliding downwards all over the world. In India too has slid down on the scale of these norms.

In India we can look at the intervention of UN body from the angle of equality and non discrimination. Democratic spirit should encourage us to have a rethink on the matters which have been decided by the state. In the face of the greatest mass movement of Shaheen bagh, the state does need to look inwards and give a thought to international morality, the spirit of global family to state the least.

The popular perception is that when Christians were being persecuted in Kandhmal the global Christian community’s voice was not strong enough. Currently in the face of Delhi carnage many a Muslim majority countries have spoken. While Mr. Modi claims that his good relations with Muslim countries are a matter of heartburn to the parties like Congress, he needs to relook at his self gloating. Currently Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia and many Muslim majority countries have spoken against what Modi regime is unleashing in India. Bangladesh, our neighbor, has also seen various protests against the plight of Muslims in India. More than the ‘internal matter’ etc. what needs to be thought out is the moral aspect of the whole issue. We pride ourselves in treading the path of morality. What does that say in present context when while large section of local media is servile to the state, section of global media has strongly brought forward what is happening to minorities in India.   

The hope is that Indian Government wakes up to its International obligations, to the worsening of India’s image in the World due to CAA and the horrific violence witnessed in Delhi.

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Ram Puniyani
February 29,2020

Like most of the political phenomenon, even the practice of Nationalism is not a static one. It changes with the changing political equations of the political forces and assumes the expressions which are very diverse. As such the phenomenon of Nationalism has a long journey and various state policies in particular have used it for purposes which relate more to the power of the state ‘vis a vis’ its people, power of the state ‘vis a vis’ the neighboring countries among others.

In India there has been a certain change in the practices of the state which have transformed the meaning of Nationalism during last few years. Particularly with BJP, the Hindu Nationalist outfit gaining simple majority, it has unfolded the policies where one can discern the drastic change in the meaning and application of Nationalism in regard to its citizens, particularly those belonging to minority community, with regard to those who are liberal, and with those who stand with the concept of Human rights.

Our former Prime Minister of Dr. Manmohan Singh hit the nail on the head when he said that “Nationalism and the "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" slogan are being misused to construct a "militant and purely emotional" idea of India that excludes millions of residents and citizens. Former Prime Minister recently stated this in an apparent attack on the BJP.” The occasion was the release of a book, ‘Who is Bharat Mata’, edited by Purushottam Agarwal and Radhakrishna. This is a compilation of significant extracts from writings of Nehru, and important assessments of and contributions of Nehru by prominent personalities.

Dr. Singh went on to add "With an inimitable style…Nehru laid the foundation of the universities, academies and cultural institutions of Modern India. But for Nehru's leadership, independent India would not have become what it is today," This statement of Dr. Singh has great importance in contemporary times, as Nehru is being denigrated by Hindu nationalists for all the problems which India is facing today and attempts are on to undermine his role and glorifying Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. This is also significant as it gives us the glimpses of what Nationalism meant for Nehru.

As Singh’s statement captures the present nationalism being practiced by BJP and company, the Hindu nationalists, immediately shot back saying that Dr. Singh is supporting the anti India activities at JNU and Jamia and his party is supporting the anti India nationalists. They asked whether Singh likes the nationalism of the likes of Shashi Tharoor or Manishankar Ayer who are provoking the Shaheen Bagh protest rather than making the protestors quiet. Whether he likes the anti national protests which go on at JNU or Jamia? As per them there is no Nationalism in Congress. One more example being cited is the private visit of Shatrughan Sinha who talked to Pakistani President during his visit there recently!

Most of the arguments being used to oppose Dr. Singh are very superficial. What is being referred to; is not opposition to Indian nationalism and its central values which were the core of anti colonial struggles. While ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ may not be acceptable to a section of population, even the book he was releasing has the title ‘Who is Bharat Mata’. What is being stated by Singh is the twist which slogan ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ has been used by Hindu nationalists to frighten the religious minorities.

Indian nation came into being on the values, which later were the foundation of Indian Constitution. Indian Constitution carefully picked up the terminology which was away from the concepts of Hindu or Muslim nationalism. That’s how the country came to be called as ‘India that is Bharat’. The freedom of expression which was the hallmark of freedom movement and it was given a pride of place in our Constitution. It respected the diversity and formulated rules where the nation was not based on particular culture, as Hindu nationalists will like us to believe, but cultural diversity was centrally recognized in the Constitution. In addition promoting good relations with neighbors and other countries of the World was also part of our principles.

JNU, Jamia and AMU are being demonized as most institutions so far regard the freedom of expression as a core part of Indian democracy. These institutions have been thriving on discussions and debates which have base in liberalism. Deliberately some slogans have been constructed to defame these institutions. While Constitution mandates good relations with neighbors, creation of ‘Anti Pakistan hysteria’ is the prime motive of many a channels and sections of other media, which are servile to the ideology of ruling Government. They also violate most of the norms of ethical journalism, where the criticism of the ruling party is an important factor to keep the ruling dispensation in toes.

A stifling atmosphere has been created during last six years. In this the Prime Minster can take a detour, land in Pakistan to have a cup of tea with Pakistan PM, but a Congress leader talking to Pakistani President is a sign of being anti National. Students taking out a march while reading the preamble of Indian Constitution are labeled as anti-national; and are stopped while those openly wielding guns near Jamia or Shaheen Bagh roam freely.

Nationalism should promote amity and love of the people; it should pave the way for growth and development. Currently the nationalism which is dominant and stalking the streets has weakened the very fraternity, which is one of the pillars of our democracy. Nehru did explain that Bharat Mata is not just our mountains, rivers and land but primarily the people who inhabit the land. Which nationalism to follow was settled during the freedom movement when Muslim nationalism and Hindu nationalism were rejected by the majority of people of India in favor of the Nationalism of Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and Maulana Azad, where minorities are equal citizens, deserving affirmative action. In today’s scenario the Hindu nationalists cannot accept any criticism of their policies.

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