Bethamangala, 23 Oct

Authorities in Karnataka's Kolar district will undertake repairing work on cracks that have appeared on the Bethamangala dam on Palar River in Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) taluk, Deputy Commissioner MR Ravi said on Wednesday.

After inspecting the overflowing Bethamangala tank, Ravi announced that a technical team will soon visit the site to assess the damage and initiate repair work to ensure the dam’s structural safety.

The Palar River, originating from Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district, flows through several villages in Kolar before reaching Bethamangala, home to one of the district’s largest tanks, built in 1904 during the British era to supply drinking water to the then-flourishing KGF.

Once a major water source, the dam had suffered neglect and with declining rainfall over the years, Kolar district was deemed as drought prone. However, recent heavy rains have filled it to capacity, causing overflow several times. The latest surge drew large crowds, prompting safety concerns after cracks were spotted on the bridge.

To prevent overcrowding, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders around the Bethamangala, Kodihalli, and Ramasagara tanks until 29 October.