DINDIGUL: Farmers in Dindigul district are growing increasingly anxious as groundwater levels continue to fall steadily over the past five months, mainly due to the harsh summer and over-dependence on borewells.
According to Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) board officials, the water table has dropped from a depth of 4.6 metres in January to 6.66 metres in May.
Officials said the intense heat has led to heavy extraction of groundwater for both irrigation and domestic purposes. With the summer showing no signs of relenting, most households and farmlands are relying on borewells for their water needs.
“Hot weather has a deep effect on farmlands and the general public. There is a natural tendency to use more water during summer, whether it’s for drinking or irrigation. Since most farmers depend on borewells, the usage has been excessive, which reflects in our observation wells,” said a TWAD official from Madurai.
Farmers say the growing dependence on deep borewells has worsened the situation. “Earlier, open wells were enough, and water was found within 400 feet. Many still use open wells in places like Palani. But nowadays, most farmers dig borewells that go as deep as 900 to 1,200 feet,” said M Chinnasamy, President of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association (Dindigul).
He added that Palani taluk alone has around 3,000 borewells.
“This level of extraction is far more intense than what panchayat borewells use to supply drinking water, which are only 300 to 400 feet deep. Because of the heat, farmers are using more water to save their crops, and that is directly affecting the water table,” Chinnasamy said.
Officials also noted that many panchayats without nearby water bodies like ponds, rivers, or streams are left with no choice but to drill borewells and store the extracted water in tanks for redistribution.