CHANGING SCENARIO IN AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES IN SITHALAPAKKAM

Water is required for a whole range of domestic, productive,environmental and uses and reliable access to good quality water is vital to the livelihoods of people.In this study,an attempt is made a)to assess the status of agriculture and water resources in the village with that of earlier years b)to assess the livelihood impact of water marketing for urban usage on the local communities.The questionnaire survey was conducted in the village to find out the reasons for the declining agricultural trend.From the questionnaire survey conducted with the water sellers,the motivation of sale and profitability of sale was found.Analyses were made to know the suitability of both drinking and irrigation water. The water resources is declining day by day in terms of water level and also deteriorating in quality. The reasons attributed for the quality deterioration was indiscriminate pumping for sale of drinking water to city in the form of over-extraction and improper drainage system.Both positive and negative impacts are found by groundwater sale.The results show that the profitability of groundwater sale is more than cultivation.