AMR water to be released to Thumbe to avert summer shortage

Mangaluru: With summer drinking water availability emerging as a concern, the Dakshina Kannada district administration has directed the release of water from the AMR dam to the Thumbe vented dam to maintain the level at six metres and avert any shortage in the city.The directive was issued by the DC's office following a proposal from Mangaluru City Corporation, citing rising demand during the peak summer period.Mangaluru depends largely on water drawn from the Thumbe vented dam across the Nethravati River. Officials said the dam has a maximum storage capacity of 10.4 million cubic metres (MCM).Official data as of April 21 showed the water level at Thumbe at 4.7 metres, while the AMR reservoir stood at 18.6 metres. Authorities estimated the available stock would last nearly 22 days.To ensure an uninterrupted supply, the district administration has instructed that water from the AMR reservoir be released to Thumbe whenever required to maintain the six‑metre level. It has also directed that the remaining water in the AMR reservoir be prioritised exclusively for drinking water and not diverted for other uses.The executive engineer of the minor irrigation department and AMR Power Private Limited have been asked to implement the order immediately and submit a compliance report. The public has been advised to use water judiciously.