CHENNAI: Farmers in Minjur fondly recollect how the area and the surrounding villages were once the centre of a rich paddy-growing basin, often referred to as a mini-Thanjavur. However, that was before these villages with ample groundwater were identified as a solution for the water crisis in Chennai city in the 1960s.
Located just about 20 kilometres to the north of the city, Minjur and its surrounding villages, have not just been deprived of water, but also their traditional occupation — agriculture. “Now, the water from the borewells here are as saline as sea water. No crop will grow in this water,” says S E Sekar, a resident of Elavampedu village.
The intrusion of sea water due to excessive extraction of ground water was detected in these villages in the 80s. “An attempt was made to reverse the sea water intrusion by drilling huge borewells to pump out sea water near Nanjambakkam village in the late 80s. But due to unexplained reasons, the project was dropped midway,” says C N Murugesan, who had served in a local level leadership position in Minjur.
A few of the villages, those bordering the road, have turned into real estate plots, though they have been lying inhabited for years. But inhabitants in the interior villages, where the only source of livelihood is agriculture, feel their lifeline has been snatched away for the needs of the city. “Most of the farmers raise crops for just one season during the monsoon. As the rain somewhat dilutes the salt content, the crops manage to survive,” says R Bhakthavatchalu, one of the few villagers continuing with agriculture in Mettupalayam village. Only a few like him remember the days when groundwater was available at a depth of just 20-30 feet anywhere in the village. “The taste of the water was so good. Water conserved over centuries depleted in just a few years,” he laments.
For the present generation, it is hard to even imagine that their village was once a water surplus area. The men and women from interior villages often travel a few kilometres with water pots to find roadside pipes. Almost all village panchayats here are now dependent on the borewells sunk right inside the Kosathalaiyar riverbed at Siruvakkam village, which is located about 15 kilometres away from the coast.
“Earlier, we were getting water from borewells on the banks of the river. It was salty and unconsumable. After we insisted, the the Tamilnadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) sunk new borewells in the river bed,” says A Charles, president of Anuppampattu village panchayat. The riverbed in Siruvakkam village has dozens of borewells with neatly-painted concrete slabs around them carrying names of the village panchayat. Many villagers even find this water unfit for consumption because of the taste and are buying water from private suppliers.
On the banks of the same river, the Metro Water Board also operates borewells, where a few workers were stationed for maintenance. “Our borewells are dug much deeper than the ones sunk by farmers and the motors have a much higher pulling power. So, they have not turned dry yet. We operate them throughout the day,” says a Metro Water on the spot.
(To be continued)