mangalore today

Thumbe Dam empty, was full at same time in 2015


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 24, 2016: It is reported that Thumbe vented Dam had enough water during the same time last year resulting in an overflow on April 25, according to data maintained at Thumbe pump house of the  MCC, Mangaluru City Corporation.


tumby


The overflow was due to the rain in the foothills of the Western Ghats with the last rain before the overflow was on April 23.  Water level at Thumbe on April 23, 2015, stood at 12.9 ft against the maximum of 13 ft. while the AMR Power Project’s dam at Shambhoor, on the upstream of Thumbe, was also full with water level standing at 18.6 metres against the maximum of 18.9 metres.

Lack of enough summer rain in the district this year has resulted in water scarcity, according to officials.  The two dams together supply about 18 million gallons a day (MGD) of water for industries in Mangaluru. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. draws 6 MGD and industries under Mangaluru Special Economic Zone lift 8 MGD water from Shambhoor dam.

The dam of the corporation at Thumbe supplies water for both industries and drinking water purposes. It supplies about 3.5 MGD water to industries. It included 2 MGD to Mangaluru Chemicals and Fertilisers Ltd., 1 MGD for different industries and 0.5 MGD to New Mangalore Port, according to officials.   On normal days, 30 MGD to 35 MGD of water is lifted from Thumbe dam.

DYFI demands water stoppage to industries : The district unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has urged the district administration to stop supplying water from the Netravathi to industries. In a release on Saturday, it said that water supply to MRPL and industries under the SEZ should be stopped. It said that the city was facing water crisis 50 days ahead of the monsoon. Many open wells and bore wells had gone dry.

Ullal wards to get water once in four days :  The decline in water-level at Thumbe vented dam has forced the nine wards in Ullal City Municipal Council limits which gets water from Thumbe  to be provided with water once in four days.

MCC,  Mangalore City Corporation  supplies 3 MLD water to Ullal. With the decline in water-level, only 1.5 MLD water is being supplied to Ullal. As a result, the water crisis is intense in Ullal region.

The Ullal CMC limits has a population of 54,738. Out of 9,685 households, 3,253 households get water from Thumbe Dam. The remaining houses are supplied with 2.1 MLD water from eight open wells in the vicinity. The daily demand is 7.26 MLD water. Ullal gets only 3.6 MLD water from open wells and MCC.

The dip in water level at Thumbe will affect Mudipodi, Gandi, Patla, Sevanthigudde, Babbukatte, Taripadu, Pandithhouse, Shivajinagara, Nityadharanagara, Chembugudde, Kallapu, Manchila, Margathale, Kattatale, Kapikad, Ullalabailu and Krishna Nagara areas.  CMC president Kunhimonu said that the council is making all efforts to supply water to its citizens.