Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Dry summer ahead as storage in reservoirs plummets

By S. Vydhianathan

CHENNAI DEC. 29. The State is in for a severe drinking water shortage if the current storage position of major reservoirs is any indication.

Except in three, the storage position in 11of the major reservoirs is abysmally low, and is likely to affect drinking water supply to most areas during the coming summer months.

With the northeast monsoon already over, the possibility of the reservoirs getting any good inflows in the near future is ruled out. Most reservoirs, except the Mettur dam, depend on the northeast monsoon rains for their storage.

Though the monsoon this year was normal, according to meteorologists, it is not reflected in the reservoir positions. Only in the Papanasam and Manimuthar dams in Tirunelveli district, the storage is satisfactory. It is more than 75 per cent of the capacity in these reservoirs. It is 4,338 mcft as against the full capacity of 5,500 mcft in Papanasam and 4,434 mcft against 5,575 mcft in Manimuthar. The only other reservoir where the storage is somewhat satisfactory is Pechiparai in Kanyakumari. The current storage is 2,406 mcft compared to its capacity of 4,450 mcft. However, the position in Perunchani, the other major source of drinking water in Kanyakumari, is not satisfactory. It is 829 mcft as against the full storage of 2,890 mcft.

In the other reservoirs, the storage is less than 50 per cent. In the Mettur dam, the lifeline of Cauvery delta farmers, the current storage is 12.178 tmcft compared to its holding capacity of 93.470 tmcft. With the Karnataka Government not implementing the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's interim award, the position has never been satisfactory throughout this year.

Already, the reservoir remains closed for irrigation for the current season. Last year, the position was somewhat better at 42.42 tmcft, which helped the authorities meet the irrigation needs of the delta farmers to certain extent.

The position is none too better in the Bhavanisagar, a tributary of the Cauvery. The current storage of 5.832 tmcft is just 17.7 per cent of its total capacity of 32.8 tmcft.

Deficient rain in Dharmapuri district during the last monsoon is further compounded by poor storage position in the Krishnagiri reservoir. As the current storage of 562 mcft is 33.73 per cent of its total capacity of 1,666 mcft, the authorities may have to find new water sources to meet a possible drinking water scarcity in the summer.

In the Vaigai and its contributor, the Periyar Reservoirs, in the composite Madurai district, the storage is less than 20 per cent of the capacity. It is 995 mcft compared to the full capacity of 6,091 mcft in Vaigai and 1,627 mcft against 10,527 mcft in Periyar.

While in the Amaravathi reservoirs, the storage is 31.6 per cent, in Sathanur, Parabikulam, Aliyar and Sholayar, it is less than 20 per cent of the full capacity.

As the existing water is to be utilised till the onset of the southwest monsoon, which normally sets in June, the Government has to evolve a master plan to meet the impending water scarcity, say PWD sources.

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