Industries use only 1% groundwater: study

KOZHIKODE: A study conducted by the Central Ground Water Board in Perumatty in Kerala’s Palakkad district has revealed that over 92 per cent of the total available groundwater is used for irrigation and only about one per cent is used by industries. CGWB’s report said the total groundwater available in Perumatty is 17.4 Million Cubic Metres, of which 16.125 MCM is used for irrigation, 1.08 MCM by households and only 0.2 MCM by industries.

The report vindicates an earlier study by the Central Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) that arrived at the conclusion that even after meeting all requirements, there was still water left for industrial uses in the area.

The CGWB was asked to study the situation in Perumatty by the Union water resources ministry. The study was made taking into account water consumed by Coca-Cola prior to March 2004, when its plant stopped operations there. The CGWB study also said since the panchayat is an agrarian one, the groundwater requirement for irrigation is more and farmers are tapping up to 300 metres below ground level for water.

In contrast, the study has found that in Chittoor block, industries consumed almost 25 pc of the total of 60.54 MCM groundwater as compared to 65 pc used for agriculture. Similarly, in Plachimada, consumption by industries is about 10 per cent of the total of 5.2 MCM of groundwater compared to 87 pc for irrigation, said the study by scientists V Kunhambu, V S Joji and E Shaji.