With one of the driest June in Kerala over the past many years, severe water scarcity is looming over the state. With dams only retaining water required for a week and a half, the government might put in regulations for water usage.

Minister for Water Resources K Krishnankutty on Tuesday told the state assembly that dams only retain water below half of the storage capacity and this will only be sufficient for about a week and a half, says a Deshabhimani report.  

June, which is the start of South-West monsoon in the state, has a deficit of 33% rainfall. It is very less compared to the previous years. “If we don’t receive rainfall still, the state will have to put a regulation on water usage,” said the minister.

Minister for Power MM Mani also told media that the state will need regulation of power distribution under the present circumstances.  

The state also had a deficit of summer rains prior to this. When compared with the water storage position in dams as of last June, the water level is down by 48.46%, say reports. As per reports, Wayanad district alone has a deficit of 55% monsoon rainfall and Idukki has 48%. Kasaragod district follows with 44% deficit, Thrissur 40%, while Pathanamthitta and Malappuram have seen 38% decrease in the rainfall received.  

Minister K Krishnankutty suggested in the assembly that conservation of rainwater was significant at this point in the state. He also opined that if this is done, the state should meet its water requirement. The minister also said that desalination of sea water as a technique was an expensive method and was not practical for the state. He added that measures will be taken to get water due to the state from the Cauvery Tribunal.