Short-duration crops take a hit as water crisis strikes Tamil Nadu

The first of a five-part series assesses the drought situation in the state

Every day before 5 am and after 10 pm, 40-year-old K Kasturi and her husband leave their home in Mylapore, Central Chennai, in search of water with eight vessels. If they are lucky, they may be able to fetch water from hand pumps or taps in five vessels after walking 1-1.5 km. This is the only source of water to drink, cook, wash, clean and bathe for them.

This is common across Chennai and various parts of Tamil Nadu, where lush agricultural lands have turned parch as groundwater levels deplete to new lows, and wells and water reservoirs go dry.