A few years ago, the groundwater in the villages of Humnabad taluk in Bidar district of north Karnataka was of such fine quality that people transported water from these villages to Kalaburagi, around 60 km away, in tankers. Now, they go to Humnabad town to buy potable water, as the groundwater in their villages is contaminated with chemicals released by the factories in Humnabad Industrial Area.
Large tracts of fertile agricultural land in Gadawanti, Basanthpur, Molkera, Maniknagar, Kallur, Dhumansur, Kathalli villages are gradually turning barren owing to groundwater contamination. Hazardous chemical waste is released into local streams, which join the Karanja river, allege villagers.
All the open wells in agricultural fields, which are meant for irrigation, on both sides of the stream, are filled with chemically contaminated water. Farmers have observed a significant fall in the quality of agricultural yield.
