NE monsoon deficit in Tamil Nadu: Groundwater levels in north districts drop
New Indian ExpressCHENNAI: Following the North-East monsoon, significant changes in groundwater levels have been observed across the state. The groundwater levels in southern districts that received heavy rainfall recently - Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, and Virudhunagar - have improved compared to the previous year. However, the situation is starkly different in Dharmapuri, with groundwater levels plummeting to 7.29 m compared to 3.6 m last year. A senior official from the Water Resources Department told TNIE, “Some districts like Cuddalore, Tiruvallur Tiruvannamalai and so on were facing North East monsoon rainfall deficit. Besides, the usage of groundwater for agriculture, industries and real estate has been on the rise and as a result the state is experiencing a dip in groundwater level in many districts,” adding, “Steps are being taken to increase groundwater levels by building up artificial water storage across the state.”