Thiruvananthapuram: The scorching summer is taking its toll on Kerala with the water levels in the state’s dams entering the danger zone. The south-west monsoon that usually hits in June is still more than a month away.
Latest reports indicate that the water level in the state’s dams is at 17 per cent of storage capacity on an average. Power generation may not be possible after another 55 days or so. If the monsoon is delayed, the state will face water and power shortages as Kerala depends on hydro-electric power generation.
One report says that a large part of the state may get insufficient rain even after the monsoon sets in. Water tankers are doing brisk business, supplying water to homes and commercial establishments. In central Kerala, water is being sold at Rs1,500 for 5,000 litres though prices can vary significantly depending on the distance from the water source to the consumer’s location.
Spying alleged
Meanwhile, local reports indicated that state intelligence officials suspect that key information regarding inter-state water issues were being leaked from the Kerala secretariat to Tamil Nadu. The two states have been at loggerheads over various issues related to the Mullaperiyar dam on their border.
Reports said it was suspected that a Keralite officer working for the Tamil Nadu government had been leaking critical information to Tamil Nadu, and that this was affecting the Kerala government in its legal battle for water allocation.
