Piped water to Madurai, the big issue in Cumbum valley
The Hindu
Farmers fume that drinking water needs of a city was taking precedence over irrigation of an entire district
One of the important towns in Theni district, Cumbum is the gateway to Kerala and the prime shopping centre for fertilizers, seeds and agricultural implements for cardamom, pepper and hill crops grown in adjoining Idukki district which is heavily dependent on manpower and materials across the border.
A major grievance of people in Theni district is about Mullaperiyar Drinking Water Project which is aimed at taking water from Lower Camp on the foothills of western ghats to Madurai city. The ₹1,295.76-crore project, which comes under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, is aimed at providing an additional 125 MLD of water to the city through 37 overhead tanks.