Yelagiri Hills, a popular tourist destination known for its wooded forests, streams, and gardens, is reeling under severe water scarcity. The lack of rainfall since 2021 has dried up most water bodies, including lakes, ponds, and small streams. Groundwater recharge has become impossible, and new borewells are only hitting hard rock.
The village panchayat, comprising 1,598 households, 40 hotels and resorts, and 15 educational institutions, is struggling to meet the daily water consumption of 1 lakh liters. The panchayat maintains 18 open wells and 18 borewells, but the water levels have significantly depleted. Each borewell is around 600-700 feet deep, while open wells are 25 feet deep.
To address the water shortage, the panchayat has roped in 20 tractors with 5,000-liter capacity tanks to supply water from neighboring tribal villages, around 3 kilometers away. However, the current supply of 50,000 liters daily falls short of the demand, and the cost of water transportation is a burden on the community.
For households, the panchayat supplies water on alternate days through its 24 overhead tanks. Residents also rely on water from a few private borewells that still hold water. However, the demand for water is expected to increase as summer peaks in the hills.
The panchayat has proposed laying a water pipeline from Jolarpet town, around 20 kilometers from the hills, under the Cauvery Combined Drinking Water Supply Scheme. This pipeline is expected to provide a permanent solution to the water-related issues in Yelagiri Hills and ensure a reliable water supply for the community.
