Chennai: Depicting a deadly drought situation, the overall water storage in the 89 major dams of Tamil Nadu is a mere 11 per cent, against the usual 40 per cent observed during the month of March.
According to senior officials from the public works department (PWD), the total storage levels in the dams are 26 tmc feet, as of March. “When the data from the previous summer seasons are studied, it is learnt that the dams in the state had a combined level of more than 91 tmc feet during March. The levels had drastically depleted,” said the PWD official.
Admitting the deficiency in rainfall, the director of agriculture stated that the state recorded an overall deficit of 40 per cent rainfall against the normal rainfall of 921 mm.
“During the northeast monsoon period, against the normal rainfall of 440 mm (48 per cent of annual rainfall) the state received only 168.3 mm with a deviation of (-62 per cent) leaving 21 districts large deficient and 11 districts deficient rainfall,” said Gagandeep Singh Bedi, agricultural production commissioner and principal secretary to government.
Most of the dry dams, including Vaigai (in Theni), and Siruvani (in Coimbatore) is the vital means of agriculture in South Tamil Nadu. While districts alongside the Cauvery river could manage their drinking water needs, interiors with dry soil conditions suffer the heat.
“In districts like Ariyalur and Perambalur, groundwater levels are worse, due to mining and dry soil conditions. Farming has become a secondary option, as we are now struggling for drinking water,” said P. Ravindhiran, state secretary, Tamil Nadu Farmers Association. “Most of the dams had reached the zero storage level, thus making the option of installing motor pumps, an inappropriate option,” he added.
Tiruvallur district stares at an acute water crisis situation, as more than 12 baby dams and small reservoirs located between Tiruvallur and Chittoor turned dry by the first week of March, said official sources from the Chennai metro water and Sewerage Board.
“About 50 acres of my land is now lying idle since January as the field wells have less than 5 feet water,” said J. Kumar, a farmer from Tiruvallur.
