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Journalism of Courage
The expert committee, constituted by the High Court to study the ill-effects of ground water extraction by the Coca-Cola Company at Plachimada in Palakkad district, has recommended that extraction during the non-monsoon season should be restricted on the basis of annual rainfall.
The available annual groundwater resource in Chittoor block has been assessed by the Central Ground Water Board as 66.7 million cubic metres (MCM). The committed annual groundwater draft that needs to be reserved to meet the water requirements of both domestic and irrigation sectors till 2025 is 62.5 MCM. The balance 4.2 MCM is to meet other uses of water, including that of Coca-Cola. The company requires 0.1825 MCM at an average of five lakh litres a day.
Hence, under normal rainfall conditions, the planned groundwater withdrawal of five lakh litres a day will not adversely affect the available groundwater. However, water withdrawal has to be strictly controlled in those years in which the rainfall falls below the mean value. Monsoon rainfall between June and November can be the basis for restrictions to be imposed during the non-monsoon season.
