Water Situation in India’s South

Given the good rainfall received by the South West Monsoon season, the dry tanks and water holes in South India which until recently was battling a severe and deepening water crisis. The onset of good rains has spurred the quick fillup of local tanks and if the rains persist for another week or two, the water levels will stabilize in each of the tanks for another year.

What has happened?

• High rains in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have pushed up the water levels in the Veeranam and Kandaleru tanks which nearly empty.?
• The water levels have also risen in the Mettur Dam which is used for the irrigation and catering needs of the Cauvery Delta region.
• This will have a positive impact on the city of Chennai as it will now have a sustainable source of drinking water to draw from.
• The good rains have also increased water flow in Noyyal River which as per the data of the local Public Works Department was the highest in the past history.?
• The Kuruchi tank which has a capacity of 60 million cubic feet is also nearly 80% full and will soon attain maximum capacity.
• For the city of Coimbatore, the bug tanks of Ukkadam and the Valankulam tank will also fill up once the water reaches them in the due time.

What happens now?

Not only do the tanks provide a constant source of water for the drinking and cleaning needs of the cities and people but they also recharge the groundwater level. The tanks are also a source of tourism and recreation and hence, it is pertinent that periodic cleaning of the inlet channels and the dredging of the tanks takes place.