This 800-Year-Old Tank In Karnataka Is Asia's Second Biggest, But It Might Dry Out Soon

With heat wave sweeping across Karnataka, the water level has depleted in Shanti Sagara tank, said to be second largest tank ever built in Asia - after Joysagar Lake in Sibsagar town of Assam.

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"Last summer, the tank had 25 ft of water and now the water level is just a few feet. If the evaporation due to increasing temperature and use continue like this, the lake will dry up within two weeks. We hope the rain gods show some mercy on us," said Pakirappa H, a member of zilla panchayat and resident of Ho sahalli village near Shanti Sagara tank, popularly known as Sulekere, in Channagiri taluk of Davangere district in central Karnataka.

The tank, located about 270 km from Bengaluru, has a circumference of 30 km and water spread area of 6550 acres.

Shankar Naik, who lives near the 800-year-old tank, said, "Last year, the tank didn't dry up despite 50 villages drawing water for drinking and irrigation.Sulekere used to quench the thirst of Chitradurga town, about 70 km away , as well. This year all we are getting is muddy water. Now, we have to rely on borewell water, though it is hard to consume."

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Decreased water level at Sulekere has badly hit fishermen as well. "As many as 1,000 fishermen families that are dependent on the tank are in stress.Due to water shortage, the tank has not received waters from Lakkavalli dam as well this year," said Sharadamma S of Kerebilachi village.

Arun Naik, another villager, said farms depended on the tank water will die if the water body dries up. "The authorities have not removed silt from the tank bed despite repeated requests. As a result, cattle that go in search of water get stuck and die," he added."If the tank goes dry this time, it will be the worst case of drought for us in two decades. It last dried up in 1991-92. After that we have not seen water depleting here," Pomya Naik, a resident of Rudrapura.

"Few good spells of rain will do it"

KR Prasanna, assistant executive engineer of Thyavanige sub-division of Upper Tunga Project zone of Water Resources Department, under whose jurisdiction Sulekere tank falls, said there won't be drinking water problem at least for May . "The dead storage for the tank is 9 ft and we currently have about 14 ft. So there is water for a few more weeks. But I can't assure the same for June," he added.

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When asked about the problem of silt due to which the available water is not fit for drinking, Prasanna said they can't remove silt as the department is yet to identify a large place to dump it. "As for as filtering the tank water for consumption is concerned, the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board is stuck in executing the work. All these problems will be resolved if we get two good spells of rain.Currently evaporation losses from water bodies is more as the district is sweating out at 41 degree celsius," he said.

Story of a mega tank

Shanti Sagara tank is said to be built in 11th century. Legend has it that Shanthavva, a princess, initiated the tank construction for the benefit of people and it took three years to complete it. Hence the tank is named after the princess and the word sagara in Kannada means ocean and it is associated with the vastness of the water body . As for as the name Sulekere is concerned, Sule (meaning courtesan in Kannada) dedicated her life for the good of the kingdom then hence the tank is named so.

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Siddappa P, a priest with the Siddeshwara temple located on a hillock near the tank, said the area of the water body was a town called Svargavathi, which later submerged following a curse of princess who was condemned as "Sule" by her own father. "There is a stone in the tank dated 1311," he said.

As for as the hydrology is concerned, the tank receives water from Haridra, a tributary of the Tungabhadra river.

IN 2010, IT WAS OPPOSITE!

Villagers surrounding Sulekere are praying for good rains now. However, the situation was exactly the opposite in November 2010. Following the impact of Cyclone Jal, heavy rains lashed the district and the lake water swelled. Many houses on the banks of the tank got submerged for a few days and families had to be rehabilitated.