The ground water level across all blocks in Coimbatore are either critical or over-exploited, as per official statistics. With two more months of summer to go, the authorities have already declared seven of the 12 blocks as over-exploited and the rest semi-critical.
As per a ground water assessment done in the past few months, only two of the 12 blocks - Sultanpet and Anaimalai - have water levels in the safe limits.
As per the report from the central ground water authority and the ground water year book on Tamil Nadu, comparing the water levels from 2004 to 2015, the increase in ground water level in the state was 30% but the fall has been 70%. The city received rainfall only for 57-60 days in a year.
"Bore-wells are being set up at an alarming rate even in areas where the water depth was over 500ft," said an official. As per the report, in 2004, only 8% of the wells had water below 4m depth.
But in 2013, it became 16% and in 2014 it became 26%. Thondamuthur area alone which showed a water level of 41.06m in May, 2014 became 43.58m in August the same year.
Officials said one of the major reasons for the drastic fall in the ground water level was unauthorized drinking water packaging units and industries that were denied clearances but continued to function. "Many had approached the court and acquired a stay as well," said an official. A farmer said that unless monsoon fails the state, the government would not realize the gravity of the issue.
A Udayakumar, a resident of A S Kulam said, "60% of farmers in his area continued to do open irrigation, not switching to drip irrigation. Only because we get enough water from Pillur scheme, there is no major scarcity."
Ever since rain water harvesting structures were made mandatory, it has helped raise the ground water level considerably after 2007. "The government needs to put in much more effort.
As per a ground water assessment done in the past few months, only two of the 12 blocks - Sultanpet and Anaimalai - have water levels in the safe limits.
As per the report from the central ground water authority and the ground water year book on Tamil Nadu, comparing the water levels from 2004 to 2015, the increase in ground water level in the state was 30% but the fall has been 70%. The city received rainfall only for 57-60 days in a year.
"Bore-wells are being set up at an alarming rate even in areas where the water depth was over 500ft," said an official. As per the report, in 2004, only 8% of the wells had water below 4m depth.
But in 2013, it became 16% and in 2014 it became 26%. Thondamuthur area alone which showed a water level of 41.06m in May, 2014 became 43.58m in August the same year.
Officials said one of the major reasons for the drastic fall in the ground water level was unauthorized drinking water packaging units and industries that were denied clearances but continued to function. "Many had approached the court and acquired a stay as well," said an official. A farmer said that unless monsoon fails the state, the government would not realize the gravity of the issue.
A Udayakumar, a resident of A S Kulam said, "60% of farmers in his area continued to do open irrigation, not switching to drip irrigation. Only because we get enough water from Pillur scheme, there is no major scarcity."
Ever since rain water harvesting structures were made mandatory, it has helped raise the ground water level considerably after 2007. "The government needs to put in much more effort.