Several villages in non-delta areas are reeling under acute shortage of drinking water.
With dry bore-wells and tankers in short supply, each day has become a nightmare for most of the residents in Manapparai, Vaiyampatti, Marungapuri, Thuraiyur, Thathaiyangarpettai and Uppiliyapuram blocks. More than 500 habitations in Manapparai, Vaiyampatti and Marungapuri blocks are the worst hit where newly drilled bore-wells have also gone dry. The residents have been forced to walk for miles to fetch drinking water. They find it difficult to provide drinking water to cattle as all water bodies remain dry for several weeks since January.
According to official sources, panchayat unions manage to supply water daily to 1540 out of 2200 habitations. Ensuring drinking water supply has become a challenging task for officials in most of the remaining 660 habitations in the district. While they manage to supply water once in two to three days in a few habitations, residents of most of 660 habitations complain that they have been left out without drinking water supply for days together. Though the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has taken various steps to provide water, several hamlets were out of their coverage. The searing temperature, coupled with heatwave, has multiplied their misery.
Groundwater table has gone down beyond 1,000 feet in Marungapuri, Manapparai and Vaiyampatti blocks due to monsoon failure during the last three years. Many bore-wells sunk for 1,000 feet have become a failure. The areas covered under the Combined Water Service Scheme from the Cauvery are facing crisis due to 20 % short supply.
Stating that the situation was being closely monitored, R. Shankar, Project Officer, DRDA, Tiruchi, said that a sum of ₹18 crore had been allotted for improving water sources.
Sinking of new bore-wells, deepening of existing bore-wells, rejuvenation of old bore-wells, deepening of open wells, provision of hand pumps were among the plans. As many as 300 new bore-wells had been sunk in various parts of the district.
Twenty eight existing open wells had been deepened and desilted.
“We have taken all possible steps to provide water supply to all habitations. But we face a challenging situation due to depletion of water table beyond 1,000 feet in a few blocks including Manapparai, Marungapuri, Vaiyampatti and Thathaiyankarpettai,” Mr. Shankar said.