Tamil Nadu: Groundwater depletion not a worry this season, says Delta farmers

TIRUCHY: Despite the groundwater level in three out of nine central districts having depleted, the farmers who undergo cultivation with the support of borewells are hopeful of a recharge, as the officials expressed positive notes about the prompt monsoon rains. Adding hope is the prompt release of water from Mettur reservoir, which will provide an overall boost in the situation.

According to the Water Resource Department (WRD) survey on the groundwater level in the Delta region in May, it was shocking that the Thanjavur district had a sharp decline in groundwater level.

The level stood at 1.90 metres below ground in May 2024, but it had dropped to 4.41 metres this May, a difference of 2.51 metres in a year.

Though the situation had improved from March and April, when the water level stood at 3.91 metres depth due to the continuous summer rains, it had now gone deeper.

“The prediction over on time monsoon rains and the prompt release of water from Mettur would support the recharge of groundwater, and so the farmers need not worry,” said a senior official from WRD.

However, a satisfying fact is that the groundwater level has improved in districts like Tiruchy, Karur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam during the current months compared to the previous year.

Among such districts, Tiruchy has remarkably improved with a 2.87 metre height. Last May, Tiruchy had its groundwater at 8.27 metres deep, while during this May, the water is available at 5.40 metres below the ground.

Meanwhile, the farmers from the region, particularly from Thanjavur, claimed that recklessly digging the river beds for sand could be one of the major problems in the district.

“We had represented this issue with the district administration on several occasions, but it went unnoticed always, and the result is the depletion of groundwater,” S Muthu Viswanathan, State General Secretary, Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association, said.

Meanwhile, the farmers who have readied the grounds with the support of borewells have started sowing paddy seeds across the region to mark the start of the new cultivation year.

Also Read:

- Tamil Nadu: Delta farmers begin new cultivation season with high hopes

- Tamil Nadu: Delta-based weatherman predicts good monsoon