Nature's fury, man's folly: Water crisis is a dilution of efforts in TN

After thernocol, govt would now look at covering surface of the reservoir with black rubber balls

Sellur Raju, minister for co-operatives in Tamil Nadu, had floated an idea to stop the evaporation of water from reservoirs: Deploying thermocol sheets on the surface of the Vaigai dam. But the thermocol sheets used to check evaporation could not withstand wind pressure.

The government would now look at covering the surface of the reservoir with black rubber balls, which was done in some countries, the minister says. This has been ridiculed by many, and some say such plans lack seriousness.

The government has allocated Rs 10 lakh for the project. 

Natural handicap

The state in 2016 received 550 mm