Do not use remaining water in Nilgiris dams for power generation, District Collector urged

The Nilgiris District Congress Committee has written to the District Collector, urging the authorities to conserve water in the district’s dams for human consumption and not use it for generating power.R. Ravikumar, general secretary of Nilgiris District Congress Committee, said people in Kundah, Kotagiri and Coonoor taluks were struggling with dwindling water supply due to the poor monsoon. Water from the two dams in Emerald, used primarily for power generation, was now being used for drinking water requirements in Wellington cantonment because of this reason.He said the catchments had fully dried up after both the dams were opened in 2024 and 2025. “Due to the monsoon failure and acute water shortage, it is imperative on the part of the administration to instruct the department concerned to use the available water judiciously only for the drinking purpose,” he said, adding that the district administration has a duty to ensure that the available water is not diverted for any non-essential purposes during this period. They also called upon the District Collector to make a representation to the State government to declare Udhagamandalam, Kundah, Kotagiri and Coonoor as “drought-hit taluks.” Published - August 24, 2026 07:43 pm IST