Tamil Nadu - Dharmapuri   

Rs. 4.37 crore sought for relief works

Staff Reporter

Dharmapuri reels under severe water scarcity

The Ilakiampatti Lake in Dharmapuri has dried up. - PHOTO: N. BASHKARAN

Dharmapuri : The district administration has sought Rs. 4.37 crore from the State Government to take up 715 relief works in the wake of a drought-like situation in Dharmapuri district.

Of this, Rs. 206 lakh would be allotted to Karimangalam block, Rs. 103 lakh to Palacode block and Rs. 126 lakh to Pennagaram block. The major works include sinking of borewells/wells, flushing of borewells, purchase of new motors, installation of new hand pumps and mini power pumps, extension of pipelines and installation of motors and replacement of pump sets and pipelines.

Action plan

An action plan has been prepared and sent to the Government for approval, said Collector Pankaj Kumar Bansal here on Tuesday.

According to a recent survey by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board as many as five out of eight blocks had been categorised as exploited with Pennagaram, Palacode and Karimangalam categorised as critical. A complete mapping of all the 2,890 rural habitations was done by dividing them into three categories namely not-covered (up to 9 litres per capita day), partially covered (10 to 39) and fully covered (40 litres per capita day and above). The survey revealed that 359 habitations fell under the first category, 946 and 1,585 under partially covered and fully covered habitations, Mr. Bansal said.

Officials said that the depletion of ground water level to abysmal levels may lead to a severe drinking water scarcity in Pennagaram, Palacode and Karimangalam blocks in the coming months. Though there was a gradual improvement in ground water level in the past three months water could be tapped beyond levels of 25 to 30 metres while the normal level was 10 metres. The relief works would be shortly taken up in the affected habitations on a priority basis, Mr. Bansal added.

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Rs. 4.37 crore sought for relief works

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