In its effort to recharge groundwater and curb seawater intrusion, Kovalam panchayat has partnered with voluntary organisations to restore ponds in the locality, which are in dire need of attention.
With the lack of sufficient freshwater sources, Kovalam is dependent on water supply from neighbouring areas. The panchayat authorities have initiated projects to rejuvenate ponds as a measure to push back seawater intrusion and restore freshwater balance.
Residents like M. Gandhimathi of Kovalam noted that drinking water supply has improved in recent years. “We get water once in two days. But the water quality in borewells is saline,” she said.
R. Narayanan, a civic activist, said rejuvenating ponds was important to improve the groundwater quality in Kovalam, which is vulnerable to seawater intrusion. While water was available at a depth of 20-30 feet, quality remains poor in most wells. The stretch of Buckingham canal also needs to be improved.
Chetty kulam pond is one of the water bodies that was once freshwater sources and later fell into neglect. The pond was recently revived through efforts along with Environmentalist Foundation of India under the ‘Blue-Green Kovalam’ initiative. Most of the ponds taken up for restoration are spread over one to three acre and were choked with silt, solid waste, and weeds.
