Monsoon shortfall in the Nilgiris exposes water stress in Coonoor

Monsoon shortfall in the Nilgiris exposes water stress in Coonoor Conservationists call for studies to understand Coonoor town capacity; they say the Ralliah Dam, the town's primary water source, was built to cater to the needs of a fraction of the town's current population.

Key points

• As sources indicate in the Horticulture Department, there has been over 55% shortfall in rains from the southwest monsoon around Udhagamandalam this year.
• Manogaran, president of the Coonoor Consumer Protection Association, remarked a lack of preparedness exhibited by the local bodies had led to the current situation.
• When contacted, authorities from the Coonoor Municipality stated that they were ensuring that water is being supplied to local residents once every seven to ten days.
• Local activists additionally called on studies to understand the carrying capacity of Coonoor town.
• The situation, nevertheless, is not as optimistic for Coonoor town.

For context, a dearth of rain in the Nilgiris district this monsoon season is having an unusual impact on the town of Coonoor, where the Ralliah Dam, the town's primary water source, has gone almost dry over the past week, sparking reservations of water shortage among residents.

As sources indicate in the Horticulture Department, there has been over 55% shortfall in rains from the southwest monsoon around Udhagamandalam this year. Authorities, even so, noted there is no impending water crisis in Udhagamandalam due to the steady rains in the catchments of the district's major dams supplying water to the town.

Meanwhile, the situation, nevertheless, is not as optimistic for Coonoor town. Speaking to The Hindu, Sharan Deep Singh, a resident of Bettatti near Coonoor and an activist working to protect waterbodies around the town, remarked he fears a challenging year ahead if the northeast monsoon. It brings most of the rain for Coonoor, fails this year. "We have rarely seen water levels this low at the Ralliah Dam, " he remarked, adding that a lack of rain is additionally depleting underground aquifers.

S. Manogaran, president of the Coonoor Consumer Protection Association, remarked a lack of preparedness exhibited by the local bodies had led to the current situation. "The municipality must now wake up and desilt the dam to improve storage, and also remove invasive species of trees such as eucalyptus, which had been planted around the waterbody and are known to have high water demands, " remarked Mr. Manogaran.

Local activists additionally called on studies to understand the carrying capacity of Coonoor town. It has witnessed a real-estate boom over the past five years. "The dam was built. To cater to a town with a fraction of its current population. Nevertheless, over the past few decades, intensive agriculture and a boom in construction of private resorts and residential buildings have put a strain on the town's finite water resources. The local body must undertake studies to understand the town's carrying capacity and plan infrastructure accordingly, " remarked a conservationist from the Nilgiris.

When contacted, authorities from the Coonoor Municipality stated that they were ensuring that water is being supplied to local residents once every seven to ten days. "Although there is no water in Ralliah Dam for supply to local residents, the Combined Water Supply Scheme in Emerald ensures that there is enough water at the moment to fulfil local demand, " remarked an official from the Coonoor Municipality.

In short, monsoon shortfall in the Nilgiris exposes water stress in Coonoor is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.