CHENNAI: Residents across the city have reason to be happy this summer. The water level in the four reservoirs is relatively okay and, more importantly, the groundwater table, especially in the core areas, is comfortable.
In March 2019, hydrogeologist J Saravanan said, the groundwater table in many areas had plummeted to alarming levels as a result of a failed monsoon and people besieged experts for advice on sinking new borewells. “I myself had attended to more than 20 calls in March last year. This March, I received only a couple of calls,” he said.
There has been no depletion even in areas such as Nanganallur, Pallavaram, Meenambakkam, Chromepet and Tambaram which are part of a region that experts deem a hard rock patch. This, says Saravanan, is mainly due to the restoration of several water bodies. All these areas are located south of Alandur and the residents there perennially suffered due to low groundwater levels, he adds.
The restoration of water bodies has been taken up by the state public works department (PWD), civic bodies and a few non-governmental agencies across the city, mainly in the suburban areas, said a Metrowater official. However, the impact created by the eco-restoration of water bodies in the peri-urban areas is yet to be assessed before determining whether the exercise was carried out properly, said the official.
The movement of tankers in residential localities is another indication of a depleted groundwater table. Normally, at this time of the year, most areas are virtually choked with tankers driving in and out, bringing much needed water to starved residents. This year, even in late April, their numbers have been minimal, says Sarvanan.
A tanker operator said that except for neighbourhoods located Old Mamallapuram Road (Rajiv Gandhi Expressway), almost totally dependent on tanker supply, there has been few requests for tankers from other areas. The demand for tankers in areas such as Tambaram, Chromepet or Pallavaram starts increasing in March-April and peaks in May-June. This year, there has been little demand from these areas for tanker supply, he said.
Another official said they had been unable to undertake an assessment of the groundwater table since the third week of March due to various factors.
The water agency normally releases the groundwater table position every month without fail.
In March 2019, hydrogeologist J Saravanan said, the groundwater table in many areas had plummeted to alarming levels as a result of a failed monsoon and people besieged experts for advice on sinking new borewells. “I myself had attended to more than 20 calls in March last year. This March, I received only a couple of calls,” he said.
There has been no depletion even in areas such as Nanganallur, Pallavaram, Meenambakkam, Chromepet and Tambaram which are part of a region that experts deem a hard rock patch. This, says Saravanan, is mainly due to the restoration of several water bodies. All these areas are located south of Alandur and the residents there perennially suffered due to low groundwater levels, he adds.
The restoration of water bodies has been taken up by the state public works department (PWD), civic bodies and a few non-governmental agencies across the city, mainly in the suburban areas, said a Metrowater official. However, the impact created by the eco-restoration of water bodies in the peri-urban areas is yet to be assessed before determining whether the exercise was carried out properly, said the official.
The movement of tankers in residential localities is another indication of a depleted groundwater table. Normally, at this time of the year, most areas are virtually choked with tankers driving in and out, bringing much needed water to starved residents. This year, even in late April, their numbers have been minimal, says Sarvanan.
A tanker operator said that except for neighbourhoods located Old Mamallapuram Road (Rajiv Gandhi Expressway), almost totally dependent on tanker supply, there has been few requests for tankers from other areas. The demand for tankers in areas such as Tambaram, Chromepet or Pallavaram starts increasing in March-April and peaks in May-June. This year, there has been little demand from these areas for tanker supply, he said.
Another official said they had been unable to undertake an assessment of the groundwater table since the third week of March due to various factors.
The water agency normally releases the groundwater table position every month without fail.
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