Thoothukudi: Thoothukudi district received its average annual rainfall quite early this year. Yet, not much of the floodwater could be stored for farming due to poor storage facilities.
Against the average annual rainfall of 662 mm, Thoothukudi has, so far, received 661 mm, 31 days ahead of the end of the northeast monsoon this year.
Around 90 per cent of the rainfall, however, fell in a couple of months on October and November, according to public works department sources.
Water storage level in the district has been reduced to around 25 per cent due to the absence of desilting works in all 134 PWD tanks in the district.
Farmers, too, are disappointed about the lethargy of the state government in renovating the Srivaikundam dam that is said to have not been desilted for more than 50 years.
Quoting a PWD report he received under RTI, Mr Kulasekaran, convener of the Thamirabarani river water protection forum said during the 10 days from October 19, more than 3 tmcft of water was drained into the sea due for lack of storage capacity either at the Srivaikundam dam or in the PWD and village tanks.
