Manipura: Salt water is the only way for survival

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Manipura, 06 April 2012: It is extreme summer time now and cry for water everywhere. When the situation is like this, even the Grama Panchayath who has the responsibility to provide the water, has shut down the supply, this has happened in Manipura Grama of Udupi Taluk. Here for about 50 – 60 houses they have shut the water supply. During December itself these people have water shortage and from years they were being supplied with the water through the 15 public water taps for couple of hours every day.

 

 
But suddenly now the Grama Panchayath has taken the decision to shut the water supply. The reason is that, the Grama Panchayath has taken up the project of supplying house to house tap water supply. This of course is an good project, but each houses have to pay rupees 10 to 15 thousands cost and monthly for every 9,000 litre they have to pay Rs. 60 to the Grama Panchayath, which is a bit costly to these people.

 
Also, even after spending this money there is no guarantee that they will have water supply every day. Already some of the houses have been installed the pipeline from Grama Panchayath, but no water is coming, because the water supply well fixed with the pump has no water in it! Here no water coming in the house tap, outside the public water taps have been covered with caps and the only other source is the open well water, which is now salty from the Manipura river water.