The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Western districts better placed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 05, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Western districts better placed

By T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI, OCT. 4. Western districts are better placed than the rest of the State in terms of the groundwater table.

In this belt, the position, as recorded by the Central Groundwater Board in late August, was much better compared to the position in August 2003.

Most of the observatory wells in Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Karur, Namakkal and Salem recorded a rise in the level. It was only in Erode where the number of wells showing a fall was marginally more. The minimum rise was 0.27 metres (registered in Karur) while the maximum rise was 18.2 metres (Coimbatore).

Other districts where the majority of observatory wells having witnessed improvement in the level were Kanyakumari, Perambalur, Theni and Tiruvarur. The figures for maximum and minimum rise were 15.43 metres (Kanyakumari) and 0.48 metres (Theni). One reason attributed to this feature is higher rainfall in these districts during the southwest monsoon. Also, the western parts were among the major beneficiaries in May or other summer months. For instance, Dharmapuri received 70 cm rainfall during March to September against the expected 43 cm.

Interesting feature

An interesting feature is that Erode and Namakkal, which witnessed copious rainfall in the summer, received deficient rainfall during the southwest monsoon (June-September). Still, their groundwater table generally witnessed improvement.

However, the overall position in the State had nothing to cheer. Fiftyseven per cent of the about 500 observatory wells recorded a fall in the groundwater level while the rest saw a rise.

Among the "worst districts" were Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam. Here, the wells witnessed a fall ranging from 0.25 metres (Thanjavur) to 8.11 metres (Kancheepuram).

Also, compared with the decadal average, a large number of wells (68 per cent) recorded decline in levels this year than in August 2003 (54 per cent).

All these raise a question about the efficacy and impact of rainwater harvesting structures.

R. Chakrapani, who has recently taken over as the Regional Director (South Eastern Coastal Region) of the Central Ground Water Board, said that "it is too early to comment on this aspect as it will take some time for the impact to be noticed perceptibly." However, he pointed out that "the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, which has been monitoring the position, is the appropriate body to comment on this point."

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