Six years ago, the Bagur-Navile canal evacuees were as happy as they could be, growing ragi, paddy and other crop. Their source of water was local tanks and lakes. The fact that the Hemavathy river in Karnataka flowed right beside also helped. Big trouble came in the form of the news that a tunnel would be built between Baguru and Navile to supply drinking water to Tumkur and help agriculture in that region. A 9.72 km tunnel was dug 18 feet deep inside the Hemavathy canal. Subsequently, rain water reached the tunnel and the upper region became dry and the underground water level in the region drastically reduced. Farmers of the region, who were apprehensive of the project right from the beginning, now woke up to the fact that the tunnel was endangering their very livelihood.