DAVANAGERE: Groundwater mining is increasing at an alarming rate in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district. While the water table has touched depths as low as 1,000feet in some places in the taluk, there is no groundwater at all in some other places.The condition is going to aggravate in the coming days and the region may turn a completely dry land if the government does not notify this as a sensitive area and implement some groundwater management strategies.Majority of the farmers in the taluk are cultivating arecanut since the last over two decades in Ubrani hobli area including Goppenahalli, Pandomatti, Kanchigaranahalli. In the recent years many more farmers plunged into the arecanut cultivation in Nallur, Lingadahalli, Ramehalli, Devarahalli, Kakanur coming under Santhebennur hobli. They have started drilling borewells, causing over exploitation of groundwater.Thus, over 50% of the Channagiri geographical area is under threat at present due to increasing groundwater mining, according to N J Devaraj Reddy, consulting hydrogeologist. There are more than 180 borewells dug in Shettihalli alone and only around 20 of them are said to be yielding some water. Majority of them failed miserably and are yielding only dry rocky powder, said Devaraj Reddy.Dr Channakeshav, a consulting doctor who has been cultivating arecanut crop on 9 acres of land in Nallur spent huge money for drilling six borewells to the depth of over 949 feet two weeks ago. Of them, one borewell yielded a little water. "Somehow, I am managing as I have some additional income and I am diverting it to the areca garden," Dr Channakeshav said."I am worried, even the functional borewell may dry up soon," he added. Chandrashekhar in Billalli and Revanna in Shettihalli also shared similar bitter experiences.As many as 54 highspeed rigging machines are owned by some private parties are put to work since the past three months in Channagiri taluk alone. On an average, over 150 borewells are being drilled every day in the region to the depth of between 800 to 1,000 feet. This area is predominated by schists -- soft rocks that flake and break easily. Over 90% of them are dry borewells. Farmers are spending a minimum of Rs 1.25 lakh per borewell.Water management through drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharging has to be taken up by the government immediately in order protect the groundwater reservoirs.

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