Chennai | Amidst the ongoing severe water crisis in parts of the state, Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday said it was largely dependent on groundwater to meet the requirements till the onset of northeast monsoon in October.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami said drought and deficient monsoon had resulted in depletion of groundwater levels, but claimed the issue was not as big as was being made out, especially in the media.
Speaking to reporters here after reviewing the progress of work on the Jayalalithaa memorial, he urged the media not to create an “illusion” of water scarcity based on a few reports.
“The (northeast) monsoon will arrive only by October-November. Till then we have to meet the requirements only from groundwater sources,” he said.
The northeast monsoon brings the bulk of rainfall for Tamil Nadu, especially Chennai, which is facing a very severe water shortage.
Krishna water from Kandaleru in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh was also not being realised in its full capacity, the Chief Minister said, responding to reporters’ queries on the water situation.
“All steps are being taken to supply water. The severe drought and deficient monsoon (in the previous years) has led to depletion in groundwater levels.”
“But drinking water is being supplied through tankers. People are using this water to even wash clothes,” he said.
He said though lakes feeding Chennai have dried up, steps were being taken to ensure supply of drinking water, with efforts to augment it from Veeranam lake in Cuddalore district.
People should also understand the situation and cooperate, the chief minister, said and urged the media to not to create an “illusion” of water scarcity.
“The media should not create an illusion of water scarcity using some stray incidents,” he said.
In one of the worst summers, taps in parts of the state, including Chennai have gone dry, affecting citizens and corporates alike.
While people queuing up with plastic pots in the city has become a common sight, IT companies are going in for various measures, including work from home to stave off the problem.
On the Jayalalithaa memorial, Palaniswami said works were progressing fast and that 60 per cent of it was over.
The Rs 50 crore memorial, designed like the Phoenix bird, was expected to be ready by another five months after which it will be opened for the public, he added.
To a question on DMK MPs taking oath in the Lok Sabha in Tamil on Tuesday, the chief minister said some of them could even speak Hindi.
“But our respect for Tamil is from our heart,” he added.
DMK has been strongly opposed to any “Hindi imposition”, an issue it successfully raised in the 1960s.
Recently too, the party had steadfastly opposed the draft new education policy, suggesting a three-language formula, claiming it was an attempt at imposing the national language on non-Hindi speaking states like Tamil Nadu.
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