More than 5,800 public drinking water sources have been notified in Dakshina Kannada district.

Following this notification, it is mandatory for people who want to dig open-wells or drill bore-wells within a 500-metre radius of such water sources, to get permission from the district ground water authority.

Addressing presspersons in Mangaluru on Wednesday, AB Ibrahim, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, said 5,848 public drinking water sources, including open-wells and bore-wells, have been notified in the district.

If anybody wants to dig open-wells/ drill bore-wells beyond a 500-metre radius of the public drinking water source, the person concerned has to take permission from the respective urban/ rural local body in his/ her vicinity, he said.

Stating that the ground water table in Dakshina Kannada district was satisfactory, he said the district had an average of 11.81 metre of water table during March this year. The district has 54 public drinking water sources (19 bore-wells and 35 open-wells) to measure the ground water table.

To control the illegal digging of bore-wells in the district, the administration has authorised several officials to seize bore-well drilling machines. As of now, 20 rigs have been registered with the district ground water authority, he said.

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