Mangaluru: With all major water resources, including the Nandini River, drying up due to lack of Monsoon showers, the famous Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple has been facing difficulties.
The authorities have dug a pond on the river bed and little quantity of water available in it is being used for the temple’s routine requirements. Further, to reduce the water use, the temple replaced steel plates with disposable arecanut sheet plates to serve anna prasada.
Harinarayana Asranna, one of the priests, said that though water scarcity is an issue, all the religious rituals at the temple are being offered without any hurdles.
The water scarcity is severe here, but we are managing with utmost difficulties too. While River Nandini has dried up completely, the water level in a well and a borewell of the temple has also depleted. The borewell of Sri Durgaparameshwari College also is drying very fast. We have another borewell near the temple, which has water in its rock bottom. We have a water pool after digging Nandini riverbed. Hence, we are managing the temple’s water requirement with the minimum resources, he added.
Meanwhile, citizens of the city may have heaved a sigh of relief as the water level in MCC’s water reservoir at Thumbay has increased after the release of water from the upstream dam.
Deputy Commissioner had issued an order to release water from AMR dam when the water level in Thumbay Dam was reduced to 1.65m. Following this, the water level in Thumbay Dam increased to 4.3 m as on June 8. This will help the MCC to continue water supply to the city for the next 20 to 25 days.