Thoothukudi: Villagers of Allikulam and Servaikaranmadam in Tamil Nadu have come out against groundwater being illegally sold to various industries amid acute water scarcity issues in rural areas.
The residents have demanded the Thoothukudi district administration seal the borewells that are operating without any approval and initiate criminal action against the suppliers.
The two grama sabha meetings held on May 1 in these two villages have already passed resolutions to prevent unapproved borewells from supplying drinking water to industries.
With the summer heat intensifying, the borewells supplying drinking water to the rural public have already dried. The villages not interconnected with the combined drinking water schemes face acute water shortages.
Residents are now forced to buy water for Rs 15 per pot, as against the cost of Rs 10 a few weeks ago. Usually, tanker lorries come to their rescue.
These tankers bring groundwater from Servaikaranmadam or Allikulam, which are known for their good groundwater resources, located 25 km away from Thoothukudi.
People of the two villages have already said that the tanker lorries are being used for illegal transportation of water extracted from groundwater borewells to industries, leaving the villagers without drinking water.
Another issue faced by the villagers is the presence of several illegal borewells that supply water to industries that require large quantities of water including chemical factories, fertiliser companies and other units.
Sources in the panchayat told IANS that the two villages were renowned for their groundwater resources but that has dried up due to an increase in the number of illegal borewell operators in the area.
The ward members of the Servaikaranmandam panchayat have petitioned the district administration including the district collector to immediately prevent the rapid depletion of groundwater resources as well as the transport of groundwater through illegally operated borewells.