Of the 1,381 lakes in Ramanagaram district, only 147 have water left in them. This explains the severity of the worsening drought situation in the district.
The lakes that have helped several thousands of families gain prosperity through agriculture for decades now, have not received water during 2015-’16 owing to drought and lack of links from canals. The harsh summer was another reason for their drying up fast. The dried up lakes have had adverse impacts on people, livestock and farming activities in the region.
“As many as 1,234 lakes across the district have completely dried up. People have been asked to use water from borewells and the remaining lakes judiciously,” R.F. Jamadar, Deputy Commissioner of Ramanagaram, said.
Speaking to The Hindu on Tuesday, Mr. Jamadar said that the lakes have run dry because of the prevailing drought situation, delayed monsoon and heat waves.
The number of lakes in the district is 1,381. Of them 1,274 come under the purview of the Department of Minor Irrigation. The remaining ones are under the supervision of the Ramanagaram Zilla Panchayat.
According to Mr. Jamadar, 288 lakes in Magadi taluk and 592 in Kanakapura have completely dried up in the past a few weeks. The remaining dried up lakes are situated in Ramanagaram and Channapatna taluks
While Kanakapura is the most drought-affected taluk, the lakes in Channapatna still have water because of the recently launched project of filling lakes with water from the Shimsha.
The district administration is initiating all kinds of measures to solve the water crisis, Mr. Jamadar said.
Meanwhile, of the 203 major lakes in Mandya, 159 have dried up owing to drought and the rise in temperature.
‘De-silting necessary’
According to sources at the district administration, lake development initiatives such as clearing encroachments and removing silt have not been undertaken in both the districts for several years now.
The filling capacity of 1,381 lakes in Ramanagaram district is over 15 tmcft. The district administration should take up de-silting works and encroachment clearing drives to rejuvenate the lakes, Thumbenahalli Shivakumar, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and Hasiru Sene leader, said.
