The Hindu : Front Page : Monsoon keeps local bodies on tenterhooks

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Wednesday, Aug 06, 2008
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Monsoon keeps local bodies on tenterhooks

K.V. Prasad

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation is not sure whether to feel comfortable or threatened by the drinking water position in the Siruvani Dam. The water level is rising marginally, but the amount of rainfall hardly lends the confidence that things will be fine till next summer.

The Corporation points out that the South West monsoon is keeping it on tenterhooks.

So is the situation in the other local bodies that get drinking water under the Siruvani scheme.

Mayor R. Venkatachalam says the water level had risen to 52 ft (as on August 4) from 35 ft a little more than a week ago because of heavy rain in the catchment.

It has 15 ft to go to reach the full reservoir level. Inflow from the falls in the upper reaches of the Siruvani hills is helping in increasing the water level, but there is no rain over the last five days, he says by pointing at the board in his office that has a daily recording of rainfall and water level in the dam.

At the moment, there is an indication of a struggle for the dam to fill up. While the water spread is one factor that will slow down the rise, the other is the lack of rain at this point of time.

Last year, the rain in the catchments was between 90 and 100 and water was overflowing from the dam.

The Mayor says that the water available in the dam now will help manage the situation only for the present.

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