Desertification of farm lands is evident in areas around Koottaampuli near Pudukottai in the district as groundwater is being drawn round the clock to be sold at a premium to residents of the port city.
As Tuticorin and its periphery have been getting water once a week or 10 days due to frequent breaches in the pipes from Vallanaadu to the city, private suppliers are exploiting the situation in villages to the maximum.
Tanker owners who have their own wells and those who have sunk deep borewells in and around Pudukottai are selling a tanker of 13,000 litres of water for Rs. 2,000 to 2,500. Residents are left with no option but to purchase water at the high rate as groundwater in their area is salty.
Two deep borwells have been sunk on the Koottaampuli outskirts from where water is being drawn non-stop for the past several weeks. When a teacher from Koottaampuli forwarded a complaint to the Pudukottai police recently about the drawal of groundwater and its sale, she was allegedly advised by the police to remain silent.
The farmers of Ottapidaaram area, with the backing of MLA and Puthiya Thamizhagam leader K. Krishnasamy, organised a series of protests. After the protests, the scene shifted to places around Pudukottai.
When contacted Tuticorin Collector M. Ravikumar told The Hindu that he would depute the tahsildar to the spot and based on his report action would be taken.
