Severe water crisis in Palakkad: 10,000 wells dried up in 5 years, reveals govt data

Palakkad, Kerala: As controversy rages over granting permission to a brewery unit in Palakkad's Elappully, alarming statistics have emerged highlighting the severity of the district’s water crisis.

Over the past five years, more than 10,000 wells in Palakkad have dried up and several others witnessed a drastic decline in water levels. The data was provided to the district administration, the local self-government and Ground Water Department and the Haritha Kerala Mission.

Despite having numerous rivers, canals, ponds and wells, Palakkad remains the most drought-prone district in Kerala. Unregulated water extraction continues to exacerbate the situation, with reports indicating that 60% of the district's waterbodies are deteriorating due to a lack of maintenance.

Shrinking Water Resources

Palakkad has 5,839 ponds, of which 4,455 are privately owned. However, in the last three decades, there has been little intervention to restore these water bodies. Many neglected ponds have turned into dumping grounds for plastic and waste. In the last five years, only 38 ponds have been rejuvenated, while the Irrigation Department has restored 64, and the Soil Survey & Soil Conservation Department has revived 96.