THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rain did not subside. Yet, the groundwater level in the state has reduced to half. Water availability will be significantly reduced in Palakkad, Kasargod, Kozhikode, Idukki and Alappuzha districts as the state is heading towards a severe drought. This shocking information was found in the report submitted by the groundwater department to the government.
After the flood, the groundwater level was reduced to half. This is because the water does not sink to the ground as the surface soil got washed away in the flood. The groundwater level in Kasargod and Palakkad dropped by two meters. The groundwater table is below the ten-year average.
According to the latest figures from the 756 groundwater monitoring stations of the department of groundwater, the reduction is between 75 cm and 2 m. The worst reduction is in the Kasargod block and Palakkad Malampuzha block. The water table in these places drops every year. As the summer started in both places, the water level dropped by two meters. The water table in
Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kozhikode dropped by around two meters. The water level in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kottayam has not decreased.
Projects that have not been implemented
Most of the water conservation projects announced by the government have not been implemented. Partially implemented projects are:
Central law requires industrial units, group housing societies, and private agencies that supply water in tanks to obtain NOCs from the authorities for groundwater abstraction. A fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh is levied for taking groundwater without NOC. There is also a provision that NOCs should be issued to residential apartments and group housing societies that are located in areas where the government and local government agencies are unable to provide drinking water. But most of the water is supplied by contractors. Most of them collect twice as much water from the sources.