In Dhanushkodi village of Tamil Nadu’s Rameshwaram, people are digging the ground to get drinking water, a GoNews report said. The state has been facing severe drought for the last two years.
The farmers in the state have been protesting for a drought relief fund from the government since last year. They are demanding a relief package of Rs 40,000 crore, farm loan waiver and setting up of Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.
Three large states — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala — are awaiting the decision of Supreme Court in the Cauvery water distribution issue. But the river itself is drying up at a fast pace.
The Cauvery now has only 13.51 per cent of water left out of its total capacity.
There are 31 reservoirs in south India, according to Central Water Commission. Currently, they have only 12 per cent of their total water holding capacity.