The Hindu Business Line : Water scarcity hits parts of south Kerala

Depletion of the groundwater table due to indiscriminate sand mining, shrinkage in natural forest cover and reclamation of wetland and paddy fields has resulted in drinking water scarcity in several parts of southern Kerala.

Probably for the first time, people in rural Kerala are buying drinking water in tankers. Such a phenomenon, even at the onset of summer, is the net result of groundwater table depletion, said Mr Thomas Chacko of Thadiyoor in Pathanamthitta district.

The reason for this predicament is the sharp decline in the tropical forest cover from 40 per cent of the State's total land area to 10 per cent.

Deforestation

The forest soil conserves 40-45 per cent of the rainwater and releases it into streams and then to rivers. This natural process has been affected following shrinkage of forest cover.

The situation has been further aggravated with indiscriminate sand mining from riverbanks, which also affects the riverbed level. Absence of sand-bed in the rivers is also negatively affecting water conservation and the underground water table, Mr Jagmohan Das of Puthiakavu near Ranni said. According to him, the water level in the wells has come down sharply in the area and in some cases, has completely dried up.

Reclamation

Another major cause for the underground water table depletion is the reclamation of paddy fields, wetlands and ponds, said Mr N.K. Sukumaran Nair, General Secretary of Pampa Parirakshana Samithi, an NGO engaged in river and lake conservation activities.

He said that the State received, on an average, 3,000 mm of rain every year as against the all-India average of 1,120 mm. Normally, 70 per cent of the rainfall is during June-August, while 20-30 per cent is from September to November every year. The summer rains used to be around 10-15 per cent.

As many wells are going dry in the State, selling of drinking water in tankers has become a flourishing business in the State. Many have dug wells in the low-lying areas and set up pumping facilities to sell water. As the water supply by the Kerala Water Authority is almost a weekly affair, people are buying drinking water at prices ranging between Rs 500 and Rs 900 a month.