Tamil Nadu - Salem   

Coordinate with govt. to safeguard groundwater: Collector

SALEM: Expressing anguish over the increasing pollution and exploitation of groundwater, Collector J. Chandrakumar has urged the stakeholders to coordinate with the State to safeguard the groundwater wealth, particularly in Salem district.

Inaugurating the two-day workshop on ‘Water Resources Management,’ being organised jointly by the South Eastern Coastal Region of Central Ground Water Board and Sona College of Technology here on Monday, the Collector said that nearly 60 per cent of groundwater in Tamil Nadu was being used for agriculture and industrial purposes.

But Tamil Nadu had emerged as the second State in the country to exploit groundwater and of the 818 critical blocks, 142 were in Tamil Nadu.

And Salem district was one among the districts that had been exploiting the groundwater. As per the statistics, Salem also had assumed the dubious distinction of having highly polluted groundwater, particularly in the regions abutting Tirumanimutharu river, which today remained a sewer.

A 2004 study had also revealed that barring Yercaud and Edapadi unions where groundwater could be harvested up to 70 per cent, the other unions in Salem district were posing a serious threat of exploitation.

The Cauvery alone was supplying drinking water to a majority of the district’s population through various comprehensive water supply schemes.

The Central Ground Water Board was undertaking various measures to replenish the groundwater aquifers and prevent groundwater pollution. Hence, all stakeholders should understand the urgent need for adopting various methods such as rainwater harvesting, judicious use of water, precision farming etc. Fresh water sources should be protected, the Collector further said.

Board’s Regional Director N. Varadaraj in his address pointed out that the workshop would address key issues concerning water preservation and place forth the scientific inputs that underscored the need for maintaining water quality, groundwater conditions, preservation of rechargers, prevention of pollution etc.

He warned that unless adequate safeguards were not undertaken, Salem, as a district that was exploiting the maximum groundwater, would face severe problems. Hence, the management of water was a must, he pointed out.

Sona College secretary A. Dhirajlal, Principal P. Govindarajan, Thiagarajar Polytechnic College Principal V. Karthikeyan, Salem Periyar University’s C. Anbalagan, Department of Geology spoke.

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