A tiny habitation of Sirivellapalem near the Manginapudi beach alone transports more than 100 20-litre water cans from the district headquarters of Machilipatnam every day.
Ironically, the authorities are releasing water once in three days, forcing us to survive with a pot of water per day.
We are left with no option but to draw groundwater on the coast,” Sirivella Kotayya told The Hindu.
In a stretch of five km of the coastline, Sirivellapalem, Chinnapalem, Maridibba, Gokavaram, Peddareddy and Chinna Reddy Palem hamlets, Vadarevupalem, Baduguvaripalem, Kothreddypalem, Pathareddy palem and Manginapudi were the most affected from water scarcity due to the extreme weather conditions.
“Many villagers leak the water from the drinking water pipeline to divert it into a puddle for cattle.
We are unable to stop the act despite we are aware of it as cattle too need the water,” said S. Suresh, a resident of a beach front village.
One has to keep an eye on the public tap.
There is no such facility in our knowledge till date in the summer,” added Mr. Kotayya.
“We strive to draw every drop of water from the mysterious well, in which sweet water recharges every day.
It’s a good source to fetch a few pots of water from the well for the two habitations; Sirivellapaleam and Manginapudi,” says P. Vakalamma, a girl from Reddipalem.

The inordinate delay in the completion of repair works along the damaged portion of the Pampa Irrigation Project (PIP) main canal at Vadasserikkara has badly affected the farming as well as drinking water needs of scores of families in the drought-hit areas of the Pampa river basin spread across Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts.
A portion of the main canal of PIP was collapsed allegedly due to lack of proper annual repair and maintenance in December, 2016, leading to closure of the canal that has been the main water source of the villagers in its downstream reaches during the scorching summer months.
27 lakh and open the canal in April first week itself still remains unfulfilled for reasons best known to the authorities concerned, say N.K.
Balan, and M.B.
Dileep, Jana Saktheekarana Gavaeshana Kendram (JSGK) office-bearers.
Meanwhile, the JSGK has moved the State Human Rights Commission alleging human rights violation by the PIP in denying water to the scarcity-hit areas.
The SHRC has served a notice to the PIP on the basis of the JSGK complaint.
The water released from the PIP barrage at Maniyar, near Chittar, in the eastern hilly tracts of Pathanamthitta has been a great solace to the hapless villagers in the water scarcity-hit downstream reaches up to Haripad in Alappuzha district, according to the JSGK leaders.
The tail race water of the Sabarigiri project collected in the PIP barrage at Maniyar is also utilised for power generation at the private mini hydro-electric projects at Maniyar and Allumkal.
Sources in the Water Resources Department attribute the disrepair of the canal to inadequate budget allocation.

Canacona: Scarcity of drinking water, a problem that was restricted to a few of Canacona’s rural areas earlier, has spread to several other parts of the taluka over the last year, resulting in a drought-like situation.
The villages of Cotigao and Gaondongorim are among the worst hit.
Vegetable plantations in these areas have taken a beating too, with many fields having virtually dried up.
Taramati Gaonkar, a resident of Bhupar, Gaondongorim, says one member of her family is solely entrusted with drawing the household’s daily drinking water supply, an arduous task given that it takes over an hour to merely fill a single pail from a little pool in the ground and then walk home with it.
I own the ward’s only well, which is being dug deeper and deeper if only to obtain a feet or two of water," he says.
For instance, a ward that is situated in proximity to the dam gets supply only once or twice a week, leaving its 18 households with no option but to walk 700 metres to a natural source to fetch water.
"It is amply clear that the department lacks the will to supply water to the people, as it ought to have laid a new pipeline well before the summer," social worker Janardhan Bhandari, says.
Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes admits that a water crisis has hit the taluka, adding that his office receives at least 60 to 70 phone calls a day from citizens complaining about the problem.
"It is very difficult to solve the issue this year itself, as a whole new supply network has to be laid and motors have to be changed.
I, however, assure that the people of Canacona will not face any shortage of water next year," Fernandes says.

In peak summer, groundwater levels in Pune remain stable.
Even with summer season currently at its peak, the groundwater situation in Pune region has not only remained stable, but also shown marked improvements in the last three months.
This encouraging trend is in contrast with other regions of the state where the number of wells showing significant fall in groundwater levels has crossed at least 50 per cent.
“This is an interesting trend and it is the outcome of water conservation measures initiated in the state,” I I Shah, additional director at GSDA, Pune, told The Indian Express.
GSDA authorities highlighted how the groundwater situation this year was far better than during the previous three years, all thanks to good monsoon in 2016.
While Konkan and Marathwada regions last year received excess rainfall, Madhya Maharashtra and Vidarbha regions reported normal rainfall during monsoon.
Reflecting the same in groundwater stock, in last March, there were 4,477 villages showing highest depletion levels; this year, there are only 325 wells in this category.
The water scenario in Konkan, Amravati and Nagpur regions continued to remain largely unchanged.
However, Shah had a word of caution on the current groundwater position.
He said, “Even though the situation this year is far better, one must refrain from misusing and drawing excess water from underground.”

You are taking grave risk if you plan to have food at a restaurant in the city.
Water scarcity has hit around 600 hotels and restaurants.
Since hotels and restaurants remain open from early morning to late evening, they require huge quantities of water.
Branded restaurants too have taken measures to tackle the situation.
“Till a few days back, the staff was barely aware of the need to conserve water.
They’d keep the tap running when washing dishes.
While smaller restaurants have to bear the brunt of water scarcity, others which have borewells, open wells or the capacity to hire a large number of tankers have not been affected.
So far, we have served notices to many restaurants and also recommended action against seven to eight,” she said.
She also added that the raids would be intensified in the coming days to keep a check on whether the restaurants are making compromises with the quality of water which is being served to the customers.
Take time to train them on proper dishwasher prep and loading.

Drones and rockets could be used for cloud-seeding, say experts.
ABU DHABI // Drones and rockets could be used as part of a much-needed technological overhaul of how countries utilise cloud seeding, experts said on Tuesday.
New technology and more effective cloud-seeding materials should be used to tackle water scarcity, said Dr Richard Behnke, a fellow of the American meteorological society and former head of geospace research at the US national science foundation.
At present, the sole method of cloud seeding uses aircraft to release pure salt crystal, silver iodide, potassium iodide or dry ice into the atmosphere, which fosters cloud precipitation.
As such, developing innovative rain enhancement solutions with the help of technological progress was imperative, Dr Behnke said.
Dr Behnke, chair of the international reviewers committee of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, said the research proposals showed how beneficial new technology could be.
The scheme is managed by the UAE National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology.
The programme invites researchers and institutions across the globe to file research proposals.
"We have seen proposals about new cloud-seeding materials, which are better than the existing ones, including some innovative technology and nano-technology," Dr Behnke said.
"This is the way we need to approach cloud seeding and rain enhancement and work together globally to tackle the issue of water security."

Resolve drinking water scarcity on war footing.
Srikakulam: Resolve drinking water scarcity particularly in rural areas on a war-footing, Government Whip Kuna Ravi Kumar directed the rural water supply (RWS) officials.
He conducted the Zilla Parashad general body meeting, along with Zilla Parishad chairperson Ch Dhanalaxmi, here on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, MLAs and members of Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTCs) raised drinking water scarcity and demanded redressal of the problem.
They also flayed the RWS department for not chalking out plans to tide over drinking water problem during the summer.
MLAs V Kalavathi, B Ashok, G Laxmidevi, B Ramana Murthy and several ZPTCs demanded immediate repair of borewells and supply of water by tankers if repairs are taken up immediately.
Responding to it, the Government Whip directed the RWS officials to start work immediately and solve the drinking water scarcity in rural areas.
Collector K Dhanunjaya Reddy also directed the RWS officials to solve the issue Assembly segment wise.Palakonda MLA V Kalavathi, Burja, Itchapuram, Vangara, Bhamini and other ZPTC members expressed their unhappiness over non-functioning of lift irrigation schemes in their respective areas though crore of rupees were spent on the schemes.
Responding to it, the Government Whip asked detailed reports over lift irrigation schemes in Sitampeta, Bhamini, Itchapuram, Vangara and Burja mandals.
While the Collector directed the officials concerned to meet him later to discuss about the progress of these schemes.

‘Ray’ Of Hope….Pink Director Is Back With A Tender Film On Water Scarcity: Baiju Bulli Movie Review.
Short Film by: Aniruddha Roychowdhury A famine-stricken village where the poorest of the poor have to subsist on diseased water…It takes a Satyajit Ray to find joy in the midst of such despair.
Like Ray’s Pather Panchali the famine-stricken village in Aniruddha Roychowdhury’s short-film is metaphor for the aridity that we humanize in times of dire distress in order to survive.
The tender yet brutal film—one of the two Apu-esque creatures will die before the film is through—draws a distinction between tolerating despair and working one’s way through it with hope and compassion.
Ailing Bulli(Prakash Takre) stares out the window next to the bed where he lies sick.
From where he lies, he looks out into a world of no great promise but nonetheless , some hope of redemption.
Bulli’s access to the outside world is his precious and buoyant friend Baiju(Aditya Pawar) who brings to Bulli stories anecdotes and incidents of hope and fortitude.Bulli dreams of his dead Naani and how she would return as a bird to drink the pure crystal-clear water stolen from the Brahmanical well.
Swimming in aridity(to use mixed metaphor) the film charts a bitter-sweet bonding between the two boys.The two young actors Aditya Pawar and Prakash Thakre,take us through a magical journey into the world of incipient yearnings lit up by a false sense of protectiveness belied by the truth of mortality.
“You can fly even when you can’t fly” seems to be dictum that drives this elegantly told story of poverty that won’t despair.It sings a distant tune heard on a parched pathway filled with the sounds of chirpy children who don’t know what death is.
But Death knows.

PM orders additional water supply to Karachi.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed measures to provide additional water to Karachi to address water scarcity in the metropolis.
He also directed to complete all developmental projects at the earliest with transparency and within approved costs.
Chairing a meeting of Council of Common Interests in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said previously development projects were never completed in time.
The CCI directed all provincial representatives to hold meeting with Federal Minister for Planning and Development to finalize matters pertaining to higher education and other similar bodies in post 18th Amendment scenario.
The CCI expressed satisfaction over the ongoing 6th Population and Housing Census.
The meeting also approved the financing of National Flood Protection Plan Phase-IV at an overall cost of 177.661 billion rupees on fifty-fifty share basis by the federal government and the provincial governments.
Minister for Water and Power informed the CCI that issues regarding net hydel profit between WAPDA and government of Punjab have been settled.

Groundwater level dips in 60% tehsils of Maharashtra.
The groundwater level in 60% tehsils of Maharashtra has depleted by a minimum of one metre, a Maharashtra government agency report has said.
“Of the 353 tehsils in Maharashtra, 218 have shown groundwater level depleting by at least one metre.
A total of 5,166 villages in these tehsils would face water scarcity during the summer season,” a report released by the Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA) said.
The report is based on readings taken at 3,920 observation wells across the State.
Groundwater level readings taken in March are crucial as they help frame policies to tackle scarcity.
A total of 2,130 villages in 72 tehsils, where there was a rainfall deficit in a range of 0-20% in 2016, have shown groundwater depletion of more than one metre, said the report.
Similarly, 1,854 villages in 113 tehsils, which received excess rainfall during the monsoon, have reported a minimum one metre depletion.
Moreover, in 325 villages, the water table has depleted more than three metres, while in 857 villages, the depletion is between two and three metres.
Pradeep Purandare, former associate professor (irrigation management) at Water and Land Management Institute, Aurangabad, said, the depletion may be a result either of farmers opting for water-intensive crops, or exploitation of resources by private companies supplying drinking water.