Palakkad: In view of the southwest monsoon rainfall in the district recording a 34-percent decline, the district administration held a meeting to prepare for the impending drought-like situation here on Tuesday at the civil station. At a meeting chaired by Collector P Marykutty, she asked officials of the Water Authority, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Thasildars concerned to submit a report to find permanent solutions to solve the drinking water woes during summer in their respective regions.
She told officials that the method of supplying water in tankers needs to be altered gradually by setting up water kiosks or local drinking water projects in consultation with civic bodies. Thasildars were given the responsibility. It was also decided at the meeting that water bodies like unused ponds and wells need to be cleaned up before summer with the assistance of local bodies, various departments and volunteers.
Importantly, considering environmental issues, the meeting decided to put in place restrictions on digging tube and borewells. The Ground Water Department has been told to keep a vigil to prevent digging of such wells without prior sanction. The executive engineer of the Water Authority was asked to conduct an inquiry into reports on the water in the catchment area of Malampuzha Dam getting polluted by the pesticides used for pineapple farming in the locality.
