Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 27: Although city mayor, Kavita Sanil, has been saying that she would prevail on the state government and see that water level in Thumbay dam will be maintained at seven metres this year, in all likelihood, the water level might stay at five metres as before. It is learnt that compensation has not been disbursed to people whose fields will be inundated by the water stored in the dam.

The dam is 12 metres high. In the past, the district administration, which had claimed that water in the new dam would be collected after disbursing compensation to affected farmers, had found a temporary solution by paying rent to 29 land owners whose lands went under water after the height of the dam rose to five metres. Although it was said that compensation would be paid to the concerned before storing more water this time, no compensation was disbursed during this year, it is said.

Although the high court has ordered to conduct re-survey of the land which will go under water, in the presence of respective farmers, the district administration has not undertaken this measure. Even after storing five metres of water last year, some shortage of water had bothered the citizens.

Currently, the dam holds 3.8 metres of water. Officials say that they will increase storage after getting information from Mangaluru City Corporation. Sources say that decision on the quantum of storage would be decided at the meeting of district level and corporation officials being held in the presence of deputy commissioner of the district during November.

In the meanwhile, there is information that the state government has released seven crore rupees to be disbursed to 26 families which will be deprived of land if the water level in the dam is maintained at five metres. Deputy Commissioner of the district, Sasikanth Senthil, has issued suitable instructions for the same to officials.

Raitha Sangha Hasiru Sene Dakshina Kannada district committee general secretary, N Manohar Shetty, has accused people's representatives of not paying compensation to the affected farmers. President of Thumbay New Vented Dam Affected Farmers Action Committee, Subramanya Bhat, said that the re-survey as ordered by high court has not been conducted yet, and that the compensation of seven crore rupees promised to be disbursed has not reached farmers so far. He said that the farmers have only got rent on the land.