The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Siruvani waits for good monsoon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Siruvani waits for good monsoon

K.V. Prasad

No alarm over water position; alternate day supply continues

COIMBATORE: The delay in South West Monsoon moving into Siruvani catchment is causing discomfort, though no alarm bells are ringing over the drinking water position.

What causes the discomfort is the vast difference in rainfall during the second week of June last year and this year.

Last year may have been the best in a decade for Coimbatore as a depression and timely setting in of the monsoon contributed to the Dam overflowing twice.

High expectations of a similar benefit this year also has led to the disappointment over the delay.

Last year, the monsoon had set in over the catchment on June 4 and turned vigorous on June 8.

Sources in the Coimbatore Corporation said on Wednesday that from June 9 to 15 the Dam received 645 mm rain. During the corresponding period this year, it is only 25 mm.

However, the 15 mm rain on Wednesday and reports of fair amount of rain in neighbouring Kerala where the Dam is located has given rise to hopes that the monsoon cannot be far away.

The storage in the Dam is 26.89 ft against the full reservoir level of 67.65 ft. Last year, by this day, the storage was 46.53 ft.

Saturation level

While there was no rain at the Dam on June 9 and 10 this year, the corresponding period last year recorded 140 mm with the Dam receiving 105 mm on June 10 alone.

Water may have just begun to trickle in into the Dam after ground absorption had reached saturation level.

Sources said an indication of this was evident in the arrest of the rate at which storage depleted till two days ago.

Water managers do not predict any problem. On the other hand, they are optimistic of good rain soon.

They point out that it is not too late this year as last year the monsoon intensified only on June 9 and there were only drizzles from June 4.

As per prediction by the Meteorology Department the monsoon may arrive in a couple of days, they say.

That there is no reason for alarm in the city is also evident in the continuation of alternate day supply. This continues though the Corporation reduced Siruvani water supply last month to 60 million litres a day (mld) from 70 mld.

As a precautionary measure, it was cut to 51 mld last week. The city hopes the monsoon may arrive soon to prevent any further cut in supply.

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