There is water at the end of these tunnels in Kerala's Kasargod

Chaliya Kunhambu, the suranga man, seeking the blessing of family deity before heading for work, at his personal prayer room, near his house at Neerkaya near Kundamkuzhi in Bandaduka panchayat in Kasargod.(Albin Mathew | EPS)

Helper of Chaliya Kunhambu, the suranga man, dragging out mud from a water tunnel at Mulankode near Kundamkuzhi in Bandaduka panchayat in Kasargod. (Albin Mathew | EPS)

Suryanarayan takes tour of his 200-year-old private suranga, a water tunnel, that runs for nearly one kilometre along Sri Sharadamba Higher Secondary School at Sheni in Enmakaje panchayat.(Albin Mathew | EPS)

Chaliya Kunhambu, the suranga man, extending a water tunnel after it goes dry at Mulankode near Kundamkuzhi in Bandaduka panchayat in Kasargod.(Albin Mathew | EPS)

Munamkadav River exposes its rocky surface even as the harsh summer is yet to kick in. At least two panchayats depend on the river for drinking water.(Albin Mathew | EPS)

Despite a ban on drilling borewell, desperate residents pitch the rig in search of water at Kundamkuzhi in Bandaduka panchayat in Kasargod district.(Albin Mathew | EPS)

Restaurants release waste water and residents dump plastic into a 200-year-old suranga or water tunnel running along Sri Sharadamba Higher Secondary School at Sheni in Enmakaje panchayat. Its owner Suryanarayan said children dump the waste and push down laterite stones from the air vents out of curiousity.(Albin Mathew | EPS)

A woman walks through the arid terrain to bring home potable water at Sheni in Enmakaje panchayat. (Albin Mathew | EPS)

Suma Nayak collecting potable water from a suranga at Thotadamane near Sheni in Enmakaje panchayat. More than six families used to depend on the suranga till five summers ago. Now, they have dug their own borewells, she said.