District gets Underground Water Conservation Authority

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore,Feb 4, 2013: Deputy Commissioner N Prakash has said that  43 villages in Mangalore, Bantwal and Puttur taluks which have been declared as villages using the highest quantity of underground water sources, have to mandatorily secure  prior approval of the  newly formed DK District level Underground  Water Conservation Authority before sinking any private or public bore well.

Presiding over the first meeting of the newly formed DK District Level Underground Water Authority at the DC office, Prakash said the Committee is headed by him and that anyone violating the rule is liable to pay a penalty of Rs 5000 and undergo six months of imprisonment. The Authority has been formed under the Underground Water Conservation Act, to control the use of underground water.

The following villages will come under the purview of the Act. In Mangalore taluk – Kinya,  Konaje, Manjanady, Someshwar and Talapady. In Puttur taluk-Ariyadka, Aryapu, Badagannur, Balnadu, Bettampady, Kudipadi, Kedambady, Irde, Kuriya, Mudnur, Nidapalli, Padavannur, Panaje and Olamogaru.  Similarly 24 villages in Bantwal will come under the Act.

The Deputy Commissioner also said bore wells already sunk by private parties in the district   will have to mandatorily register themselves with the Department of Mines and Geology   along with details as to whether the bore wells are used for domestic or commercial purposes.

It was also stated that no bore well could be sunk within a distance of 500 meters from already existing water sources.

Dr KN Vijayaprakash, ZP CEO, Abhishek Goel, SP, Dayananda, Additional DC were present.