Chennai, June 18 (IANS) With the water level in reservoirs across Tamil Nadu declining rapidly, Chief Minister K. Palaniswami here on Tuesday assured that necessary steps were being taken to ensure drinking water supply to people.

Speaking to reporters, Palaniswami said failure of rain had led to depletion of ground water. "Water is being supplied through tankers and desalinated water is also being distributed," he said.

The Chief Minister urged the people to cooperate as ground water would be supplied for the next four-five months till it rains in October-November.

Palaniswami said water from the Mettur Dam was being released to replenish Veeranam Lake and supply drinking water to Chennai as all the city reservoirs had dried up.

Some water from the Kadaleru dam in Andhra Pradesh could be released to Tamil Nadu, but only if it had 8 TMC water, he added.

--IANS vj/rtp/pcj