In view of severe water shortage, Sri Manjunatheshwara temple here in Dharmasthala on Saturday asked devotees to postpone their visit to the holy place for the time being.
"People are struggling for water. I request devotees to postpone their visit till it rains," Darmadhikari of Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara temple Dr V Heggade said.
Due to the acute water crisis in the area, the locals are getting water just four days a week. Also, the temple is unable to get proper water supply as the water level in the Netravathi river has depleted drastically.
"We have no problem in providing drinking water to the residents but the issue is with the temple as it attracts thousands of pilgrims every day, not only from Karnataka but also from outside the state. So providing water to every pilgrim is a challenge though we will try to find a solution," Rural Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told .
"We will talk to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and try to resolve the matter at the earliest. For now, it is very difficult for us to maintain the supply of water as the main source of water is drying," he said.
The temple gets crowded with lakhs of visitors throughout the year, especially during weekends. The temple has a huge requirement of water as it provides meals and boarding to pilgrims.