Water Crisis In Chennai – A Wake-up Call

Chennai has been facing a severe water crisis.

- Ankit Singh

There has been a 40% cut in piped water supply. All four reservoirs outside the city have dried up. In several parts of the city, the cost of water has doubled. According to reports from the Central Water Commission, a rainfall deficit of 41% in Tamil Nadu till June 13 made it the first Indian city to go dry. Apart from Chennai, other parts of Tamil Nadu have also been affected. Ground water levels have fallen sharply. Most of Chennai’s population today is dependent on water tankers and a curtailed municipal supply for daily requirement of drinking water. The fear that such a crisis can happen in other cities is rising. According to a report from the NITI Aayog, the country is facing the worst water crisis in its history and 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020.

What led to this?