Commencement of work to sink 10 to 15 borewells in Madakulam tank by Madurai Corporation to address drinking water shortage had to be stopped on Friday morning after opposition from a section of residents.
The trucks that came for the work had to be sent back after more than 100 people gathered at the place and attempts by Corporation officials to persuade them failed, police sources said.
Blaming the district administration for its alleged failure to properly maintain the tank, the locals raised concern that sinking of borewells will only deplete the groundwater table in the area, which has already gone down over the years.
“Not many years ago, we used to strike water at a depth of not more than 100 feet. Now, there is no water even at 300 feet,” a resident said.
M. Karuppu, a resident of Madakulam, which comes under Ward 75 of Madurai Corporation, claimed that of the five borewells sunk a few years back by the Corporation in and around the tank, only one was working properly now. “There has been no effort to maintain these borewells. Then, why dig more,” he questioned. He added that a few borewells dug by Southern Railway in the area were also adversely affecting the groundwater table. “The giant borewells to be sunk by the Corporation will rapidly aggravate the situation,” he said.
A. Ramesh, another resident, was concerned that water from the proposed borewells would be taken to other places when Madakulam and nearby areas were already reeling under water shortage.
“We have handed over many petitions to the district administration requesting the removal of encroachments and maintenance of inflow channels to the tank so that water could be stored. Had that been done, water will be surplus in the area today,” he said.
Stating that this was the first time the Corporation was going to sink borewells in Madakulam tank, Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri said that officials were confident of convincing the locals that the proposal was in the larger interest of the public. “Hydrological assessments have shown that the groundwater table in the area is good to accommodate these borewells,” he said, adding that they were essential to meet the drinking water shortage looming large due to the drought situation.
He also assured that priority will be given to nearby areas in distribution of water to be taken from these borewells.
