Bengaluru: At least 32 multi-village water supply schemes across Karnataka, intended to serve over five lakh people, have become dysfunctional, even after Rs 214 crore of taxpayer money was spent.
The failure has been attributed to poor planning, lack of upkeep, open defecation near water sources, and inadequate post-project support, according to a government study cited by Deccan Herald on Thursday.

The study analysed projects implemented between 2000 and 2016 across 13 districts: Bagalkot, Ballari, Belagavi, Bidar, Davangere, Dharwad, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Raichur, Tumakuru, Vijayanagar, and Yadgir.

The defunct schemes are part of a broader set of 437 multi-village drinking water projects implemented across the state at a total cost of Rs 8,456 crore. Of these, 45 schemes, including the 32 examined in the study, have failed to deliver water to the intended beneficiaries.

Despite some schemes being based on “perennial” water sources, including major rivers like Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Bhima, Krishna, Manjira, Tungabhadra, and Kabini, the projects failed due to factors such as infrastructure damage during road works, mechanical farming activities, floods, and theft of critical assets. Reasons for the failure of other schemes whose water sources were non-perennial are largely similar.

The study also identified institutional failures. In several cases, schemes were abruptly handed over to gram panchayats without the necessary funds for operation and maintenance (O&M). Technical design flaws, inadequate financial planning, and lack of community engagement further contributed to the breakdown of services.

“These reasons bring home the message that it is not sufficient to have a perennial source but a host of other measures are required for the successful operation and maintenance of rural water supply schemes,” the study said.

It also criticised the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (RDWSD) for focusing narrowly on infrastructure, while neglecting social, institutional, financial, and governance aspects.

Open defecation along riverbanks has led to widespread public distrust in water quality, the report found. Additionally, there is competition between farmer groups drawing water for irrigation and RDWSD efforts to secure supply for domestic use—particularly in river-based schemes.

The study warned that the state government must learn from these failures, especially as it spending another Rs 18,897 crore on 89 new multi-village water supply schemes.

Satna, Madhya Pradesh: A deeply disturbing video from Satna district has gone viral on social media, showing a young man being mercilessly thrashed by another man on mere suspicion of theft. The assault, captured on camera, has shocked viewers across the country, not only for its brutality but for what was later discovered in the victim’s pocket: just two dry rotis and a small packet of salt.

In the video, the young man does not retaliate or even cry out. He simply raises his hand in a silent plea for the blows to stop. Onlookers can be seen watching passively as the man is beaten repeatedly with a stick. No one intervenes. No one protests.

Later, when the victim’s pockets were searched, no stolen goods were found, only his likely meal for the day roti and namak The revelation has triggered outrage online with many users calling the attack not just inhumane but symbolic of a society that punishes poverty and hunger with violence

While local authorities are yet to issue a formal statement on the incident, public pressure is mounting for action against the attacker, and for better protection of vulnerable individuals from mob violence.

Mumbai: In a defiant show of protest, hundreds of members of the Jain community gathered at the Dadar Kabutarkhana in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, forcibly reopening the pigeon-feeding area that had been closed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) following court directives.

The protest comes in the wake of a June 30 Bombay High Court order, which instructed the BMC to lodge First Information Reports (FIRs) against individuals feeding pigeons at Dadar West and other locations in contravention of civic policies. The court noted that such feeding was being done “illegally” and in a “defiant” manner despite existing prohibitions.

On Sunday, August 3, the BMC sealed the Dadar Kabutarkhana by erecting bamboo structures and covering the area with tarpaulin sheets. The move followed directions from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had instructed that pigeon feeding be permitted only in a “controlled manner”.

However, on the morning of August 6, protesters, predominantly women, gathered at the site, tore down the temporary coverings, and entered the enclosure to offer grains to the pigeons. The protest led to temporary chaos as the Mumbai Police attempted to contain the crowd, but no violence was reported.

Sandeep Doshi, representing the Dadar Kabutarkhana Trust, said the act was spontaneous and peaceful. “Some other members from other communities also gathered and the extreme action was taken by them. While some things happened in the heat of the moment, we did not break anything, did not fight with the police nor the administration,” he said.

As of Wednesday evening, the Mumbai Police confirmed that no FIRs had been registered in connection with the incident.