Water crisis worsens as parts of TN getting supply only once in 20 days

Residents stand around with plastic pots to fill drinking water at a distribution point in Chennai on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu): Tamil Nadu is facing its worst water crisis this year. With searing temperatures and delayed monsoon, most of the regions are facing water a terrible shortage of water.

Wells have dried up in the southernmost tip of India that have left people looking for alternative sources of water. The wells in the area are a source of fresh water that the residents have and if the present situation continues they will be left with no choice but to rely on pricey private water tanker facilities.

Tamil Nadu is facing drought from three years because of successive failure of north east monsoons.

The bore wells inside the Rameshwaram temple are turning dry. At the famous Ramanathaswamy temple here, water from 19 wells is poured on the heads of the people visiting the the temple as part of a ritual. The ritual faces the threat of being stopped.

In the areas in and around the state capital, Chennai, residents are sinking borewells up to 600 feet in Ambattur, Pallavaram, Chromepet and Avadi as there is no piped water facility and private water tanker facility comes at a cost. There is no assurance on the quality of the water bought at a high price.

People are forced to draw water from the ground illegally and over 200 motors have been seized by the Chennai Metrowater department in over a span of 15 days.

DMK demands municipal min's resignation

About 400 DMK workers on Wednesday protested in front of the Corporation office, demanding Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani's resignation for allegedly failing to create necessary infrastructure to store water. The party will hold protests on June 22 across state demanding steps on a war footing.

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