Huge sinkhole opens up in riverbed, India

A 15 feet deep and 31 feet wide sinkhole has formed in the Chitravathi riverbed near Lakshumpalli in Yellanur mandal of Anantapur district, confirming fears that groundwater in the area has been exploited to alarming levels.

The groundwater department, after a thorough study, noticed that cavities of limestone deposits beneath the riverbed had become brittle due to pumping of groundwater by drilling borewells even at depths of 800 feet.

The sinkhole formed near Lakshumpalli on Thursday with a loud sound and residents of surrounding villagers feared that it was an earthquake. The Yellanur mandal, near Pulivendula of Kadapa district, depends on the Chitravathi river's water.

With poor rainfall for the last 12 years in it's upstream, the river hasn't even been flowing at its minimum level in Yellanur mandal. Farmers thus have been dependant on borewells that they have been digging near the riverbed, leading to over exploitation of groundwater.

The groundwater department had also listed Lakshumpalli and surrounding villages in the danger zone. Anantapur deputy director of groundwater K. Purushotham Reddy said, "A borewell closer to the gorge found that the water table had fallen to a depth of 185ft. But the layer beneath has deposits of limestone along with water cavities. They became brittle due to pumping water thorough the borewells that resulted in the gorge."

The official stressed on the need for alternative sources of water through diversion of Tungabhadra High Level Main Canal water into the Pulivendula Branch Canal which could improve the situation.

Sreenivasulu Naidu, a farmer from the village recalled a similar incident that had been reported at Kothapalli village. "The government should take minimum measures by allocating additional quota for the area through HLMC that would recharge groundwater sources," he said. In-charge collector B. Lakshmi Kantham has sought a detailed report from the concerned departments.

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