Bengaluru: A woman reportedly infected with the Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) allegedly committed suicide by jumping into it last week. The villagers in Hubballi district of Karnataka are emptying a lake after saying they are afraid that they would contract HIV/AIDS if they used its water. The villagers at Morab, which is about 30 km from Hubballi, informed authorities they would not use it till fresh water was filled.

Morab lake is the biggest in the Navalgund taluk in north Karnataka and the only source of drinking water. Villagers now trek about 3km to the Malaprabha canal to fetch water.

The woman lived on the banks of the lake spread over 25 acres. villagers alleged that she was suffering from HIV. Ever since the body surfaced, no one turned up to fetch water, adding that the villagers unanimously decided to empty the lake.

Locals used to draw water from the lake. "Three days after her disappearance on November 29, her body surfaced. It was decomposed, bloated... villagers decided not to use the water until fresh water was filled in the lake," panchayat development officer (PDO) B Nagaraja Kumar said.

A former village panchayat member Ravi Kagadal told media that the villagers were afraid of contracting HIV/AIDS. Soon after learning about the incident, district panchayat chief executive officer Dr B Satheesha rushed to thespot and tried to convince villagers that HIV never spread the way they thought. He even tried to persuade the villagers not to waste water like that but the villagers remained adamant.

District authorities have decided to distribute water from Mallaprabha river, a tributary of the Krishna river, among villagers for the time being. "District authorities have agreed to fill the lake by December 20. There will be no water crisis till then," the PDOsaid. The authorities have also deployed 20 siphon tubes with four motors to pump out the water.

Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the final stage of infection with HIV.

(Agency Inputs)