The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Ban sought on water extraction from farm wells

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 16, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Ban sought on water extraction from farm wells

K. Manikandan

Residents of Sivagami Nagar in Medavakkam complain groundwater level has dipped and roads are damaged

BATTERED: An interior road which was damaged during the recent rain at Sivagami Nagar in Medavakkam.

TAMBARAM: Residents of Sivagami Nagar in Medavakkam near Tambaram want a ban on extraction of water from private farm wells in their area. The non-stop drawal of water by private operators has resulted in a dip in the groundwater levels and also left their streets thoroughly damaged.

Residents who have raised the issue with elected representatives of Medavakkam panchayat have been snubbed. Others who protested were threatened by well owners and tanker operators. Tucked inside Velachery Main Road, Sivagami Nagar developed as a residential locality in the early 1990s and now, there are more than 50 houses.

The locality also has a few farm wells from where water is drawn by the private water tanker operators for supply to water-starved areas of Chennai. For the past few years, water was taken to the city only rarely, but in the last few months, more than 150 loads of water are being drawn everyday.

Nuisance

“They operate round the clock and their powerful motors pump 12,000 litres of water in a few minutes … the noise is unbearable,” said T.A.Sankar, secretary of the Sivagami Nagar Residents Welfare Association.

The lorries have thoroughly damaged the metal roads laid more than a decade ago. The roads are so bad that residents are just unable to travel on their motorcycles and cars. “When we raise the problems all of them (tanker operators) gang up and threaten us,” said Pari, a resident and office-bearer of the association.

Dip in water level

Water was available at a depth of 30 feet in surface and borewells even a few years ago.

Now, it had dipped beyond 150 feet and residents attributed this to extraction of water from the farm wells. Residents have contacted Medavakkam Panchayat, Kancheepuram district administration and even the police, but there has been little help.

Members of the Kancheepuram district Water Bodies Exnora alleged that the commercial exploitation of water was a violation of the provisions of the Chennai Metropolitan Area Groundwater (Regulation) Act.

Medavakkam panchayat authorities said it was a matter of livelihood for well owners and that it was not within their powers to stop it.

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