Kodaikanal: State tourism authorities and Tamil Nadu foresters have temporarily closed down a few rest houses and guest houses in hill stations and tourist destinations due to lack of water. Providing drinking water to rest houses is a problem as several wells in Kodaikanal have dried since December.
“Further our priority is to prevent forest fires and provide temporary water troughs for wildlife and we explain about the situation to those seeking stay at core jungle areas,” said a forest ranger in Kodaikanal wildlife sanctuary.
“Yes, it is a fact that we are facing water crisis. All motor pumps installed at guesthouses are periodically getting air locked due to depletion of water in wells. We are in constant touch with the Kodaikanal municipality to ensure that the water supply to Tamil nadu tourism gust houses are not affected, so that the tourists are taken care”, said a TN tourism department official adding that since it’s a lean season, the situation is handled, but of the trend continues handling tourists during March-April- May will be very difficult, he said.
District forest officer R. Murugan had chalked out a summer mitigation plan to ensure that wildlife in Kodaikanal do not stray in to the settlement areas.
And as part of the plan wildlife census was conducted little early this season only to ensure that natural water holes in Berijam, Kodaikanal, Poombarai and Mannavanur ranges are monitored before they dry out, explained conservation scientist A. Kumaraguru, who is technically monitoring the transact trail and the water holes in Kodaikanal for the annual wildlife census.
“For the past two days the situation is better due to drizzle and mild showers. Last week the situation was worse and the farmers are finding it difficult to wash the grown carrots in fresh water”, said S. Murugan, a farmer in Mannavanur, a small town below Kodaikanal town.
