Severe water crisis awaits Mangaluru as Thumbe dam has water only for 18 days

[email protected] (CD Network | Suresh Vamanjoor)
April 24, 2016

Mangaluru: Apr 23: Any further delay in pre-monsoon rains in coastal Karnataka will surely push Mangaluru into deep water crisis as water at Thumbe vented dam, on which the city is dependent, will last only for next 18 days.

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The Thumbe dam, which had enough water during the same time last year, is now facing severe shortage of water and its level is decreasing with every passing day.

On Saturday, when Mangaluru Mayor Harinath, along with other corporators, officials and representatives of industries visited the 13-foot high vented dam, the level of water storage stood at 7.9 feet with inflow of water reaching zero-level.

Speaking to media persons, the mayor called upon the citizens of Mangaluru to use water judiciously. He said that water storage at the Thumbe vented dam was enough for only 18 days' supply. “The water from AMR Hydro Power Project dam will be sufficient for an additional four to five days. The MCC has already initiated measures to supply water to the citizens on alternate days,” the mayor assured.

He said that farmers will be persuaded not to use the pump sets upstream. “A team, led by executive engineer Linge Gowda, has been constituted, and a drive will be started to check the use of pump sets. The team will ensure that water is not wasted. The Corporation has already stopped supplying water to construction sites. Water should not be sprinkled on the road to check dust,” he insisted.

The Mayor said that if there was any problem of shortage of water or case of water being wasted, then the public can contact the executive engineers, assistant executive engineers and junior engineers.

Speaking of supply of water, he said that the number of tankers to supply water to the areas that fail to get water has been increased from three to seven. The houses situated on narrow roads will get water in tankers mounted on three pick-up vehicles. Measures will be taken to supply water through tankers at the areas situated at elevated places, he assured.

“There was deficit in rainfall in Dakshina Kannada in 2015. Its impact is being felt this year. The district normally receives pre monsoon showers in April. This year, however, pre-monsoon shower too has failed. Last year, with the pre-monsoon shower, the water-level at the dam was overflowing on April 25. The water-level at Thumbe vented dam declines by three inches if the water is pumped once to supply to the citizens of Mangaluru,” Harinath explained.

The Mayor said that the MCC has initiated measures to drill six borewells in the areas where there is acute shortage of water. Two borewells have been completed at Vamanjoor and Pacchanady. “If the situation aggravates, then water will be drawn from all private borewells and other water sources within the city limits to supply it to the citizens of Mangaluru. The supply to industries will be stopped fully. In case of necessity, the district administration will be asked to make arrangements to release water from the dams situated at Subramanya, Hosmat and other places,” Mayor said.

The MCC supplies 2 MGD water to gram panchayats that are situated between Thumbe and Padil. The MCC is planning to purify the water to hand it over to the gram panchayats to take over the maintenance of water supply to Adyar, Pudu and Thumbe Gram Panchayats. 

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Comments

Abdul Vadood
 - 
Sunday, 24 Apr 2016

ONLY ALLAH CAN SAVE US.

NOOR
 - 
Sunday, 24 Apr 2016

Only ALLAH can save us from drought...
Dear Muslims....
I suggest to ask your local masjids to pray for rain...
ASK with ALLAH alone and never give any attributes to his CREATION.
ALLAH is the owner of this earth & ask with ALLAH as per the teachings of Prophet Muhammad pbuh... ALLAH is able to do all things. if he says BE and it will be... Dont look at the situation... Lets trust and ask with ALLAH in Full TRUST.

As QURAN says : It is ALLAH who sends the winds which stir up clouds which He spreads about the sky however He wills. He forms them into dark clumps and YOU see the rain come pouring out from the middle of them. When He makes it fall on those of His servants He wills, they rejoice. - QURAN 30:48
Lets PONDER on What QURAN speaks and THINK deeply about OUR CREATOR who sustains us by giving life on EARTH with his rainfall.
Subhanallah... Praise be to ALLAH.

Mohan P
 - 
Sunday, 24 Apr 2016

here mangaloreans dont have water and congress want to finish yethinahole protect. if this succeed forget about the rain in coastal karnataka,

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News Network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has issued a high-alert warning to vehicle owners regarding a surge in cyber fraud targeting those looking to pay traffic violation fines. Fraudsters are reportedly exploiting recent government discount schemes on traffic penalties to deceive citizens.

The Scam: How Fraudsters Strike

Criminals are using SMS, WhatsApp, and social media to circulate suspicious links and APK files (Android application packages). They claim these apps allow users to pay e-challans at a discount.

•    Device Hacking: Downloading these unauthorized apps gives hackers full access to the victim's smartphone.

•    Financial Theft: Once the phone is compromised, fraudsters intercept OTPs and personal data to drain bank accounts.

•    Phishing Sites: Fake websites mimicking official portals are also being used to harvest banking credentials.

Already, two residents within Mangaluru city limits have reported significant financial losses after falling victim to these fraudulent apps.

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