Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jun 26: Out of the taluks of Dakshina Kannada district, Mangaluru taluk is in the first place as far as digging of open wells under the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme is concerned. It has dug. It has dug 177 wells so far. In the taluk, there is high demand for open wells under the Jal Shakti campaign. In the year 2021-22, under the employment guarantee scheme, 40,076 man days’ work was executed. As per the evaluation conducted every year by the district underground water table task force, the number of users of drinking water is increasing and therefore, more emphasis is now being laid on rainwater harvesting.
In Puttur sub-division, 382 wells have been built to improve the underground water table. On the basis of the evaluation report on the underground water table that said that the water table is going down, steps are being taken to improve the water table. More wells are dug under the employment guarantee scheme.
In the district as a whole, 7990 wells are under different stages of construction. These wells are being dug under the employment guarantee scheme. During the last year, the underground water table level had surprisingly slumped more than other taluks. This level was at 9.29 metres in December 2019 in Puttur but in 2020 it went down to 10.33. On the basis of the survey, the government had banned digging of bore wells in Puttur taluk (Kadaba taluk was a part of Puttur taluk).
The officials say progress of wells suffered because of coronavirus-induced lockdown. As there is a provision to dig wells even after the rainy season, the numbers will go up, they added. Under the employment guarantee scheme, 1 77 wells are under construction in Mangaluru, 135 in Bantwal, 112 in Beltangady, 113 in Kadaba, 97 in Sullia, 65 in Moodbidri, and 60 in Puttur. Puttur is in the last place as per the current status.
Kishan Rao, assistant programme coordinator for National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, says that under this scheme, digging of more open wells is being encouraged. He said that if a 15 feet deep and eight feet diameter well is dug, an amount up to Rs 1.25 lac is disbursed under the said scheme.