Water woes are nothing new for Indian cities and villages. Ever summer the story is the same, governments neglecting and people suffering. Water is one of the most essential commodity that needs our attention. Modernization has led to rising in such issues, especially in the cities. Unplanned infrastructural development and lack of government regulation and implementation of existing rules under expert supervision in this sector are resulting in depleting ground water levels in major cities. Such infrastructural growth is also hampering the groundwater replenishing process. Areas like Latur in Maharashtra are in news ever summer and have been facing water scarcity since decades resulting in hundreds of farmer’s suicide every year and the number increases with time.
In the case of Chennai, the issue seems similar. Chennai had nearly two dozen water bodies including three rivers and a British period Buckingham canal. Today, it is reduced to half a dozen. Successive governments are to blamed for this as they have done precious little to replenish these lakes and water sources. Moreover, governments occupied the areas in and around these lakes for construction activities and one such construction was done on the Nungambakkam lake during the 1970s to build a monument called Valluvar Kottam dedicated to Thiruvalluvar.
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The central water commission said that Tamil Nadu will face a rainfall deficit of 41 per cent till June 13 this year. The condition seems to worsen over weak monsoon woes, according to a report of India Today.
The situation of Chennai has become pitiful as the major population is dependant on water tankers and municipal supply for daily requirements of drinking water. The condition is worrying as people have very scarce water even for daily needs like bathing and sanitation. Bottle water prices are at all time high and are selling at a cost four times the normal price.
If preventive and sustainable actions are not taken for the future, experts believe the situation will worsen every year and could result is water becoming a luxury that only riches can afford.