Water, power shortage the bane of Kadur taluk

CHIKMAGALUR: Kadur, the biggest taluk of the district, is facing a new problem: power outages which have worsened the drinking water situation in this drought-prone region. The land irrigated by borewells also suffers from water scarcity.
Barring Sakharayapattana hobli which receives water from Ayyanakere, the taluk's remaining seven hoblis -- Kadur Kasaba, Birur, Yagati, Singatagere, Choulahiriyuru, Panchanahalli and Hirenallur - are rain fed.This year, rain has been sparse and the area has dried up.
Now, power shortage is adding to the people's tribulations. Erratic power supply has affected drinking water supply, and people have to walk to faraway wells to fetch water. Those who have borewells say erratic power supply has only worsened the situation, for they have to be alert through the day and night to switch on their pumpsets the moment power comes on. Only then will their lands be irrigated. Due to a paucity of rain, more than 60% of the borewells in the taluk yield low quantity of water.
Villagers say that apart from water shortage, the biggest problem is low voltage. They are now dependent on kerosene lamps to light up their homes.
Mescom has also implemented load shedding in the taluk: power outages are common from 6am to 10am, and again from 2pm to 6pm. Though Mescom claims it is supplying power in three phases, there is only single phase of supply.
The failure of the monsoon has driven many farmers to cultivate ragi, but a rise in temperature could mean a poor yield.
Mescom executive engineer KT Karisiddaiah said the failure of the monsoon is affecting the entire state. The power utility has fixed 32-35 MW of power for this taluk, which requires more than 50 MW a day. The demand for power has increased due to regularization of 2,186 illegal pumpsets and illegal drawing of power by farmers during the night.