About water flowing out into the sea,Desertification of the Delta[it is happening,-this is happening ,but still in the reversible

manner,not complete as the Indus basin region viz. Thar]If their isn't sufficient outflow of fresh water into the sea,the sea water enters the region[subterranian-ly] making water brackish & unfit for drinking.This fear is there all along the coast but especially in population/agriculture intensive places as Madras or Delta region of Cauvery. my native place is Mayuram/Mayiladuthurai[in Tamil].I have noticed over the period of years not only water turning brackish[due to incursion of sea water into the water table],but also the water table sinking lower & lower. While farmers /others depended on the surface water for their use earlier, in recent years they've been digging borewells,deeper & deeper for drinking & irrigation.So much so,that ONGC has even found oil near Semmangudi,they were acquiring properties some years back,but we don't hear much about it in Public domain. This in spite of the numerous tanks[man-made lakes/ponds]that exist in the erstwhile Tanjore Delta[now it is divided into three separate disticts]. The water table that was just a few feet below ground has now become much deeper. I know since the great drought of the late eighties/early nineties;[it was just after that the first JJ govt. made rainwater-harvesting mandatory].Madras really suffered.leave alone neighbouring states,it was so with neighbouring houses.We have a well in our backyard. Behind us The house had become a block of apartments just then.Due to the drought,they put up a Borewell ,just behind our well,though in their compound. Immediately,we noticed a drastic fall in our water table,which was healthy only because,my father had the foresight to do rainwater harvesting ,even before it was even thought about publicly.Then we had to sink another borewell much farther away! So:1)Rainwater harvesting is definitely something everyone should do. 2)Lakes & tanks should be cleaned & desilted regularly [which,BTW,in T is getting done as a by product of the renovations/Kumbhaabhishekams for the adjoining temples. 3) don't begrudge the sea of a little fresh water;that is what keeps the Delta still fertile! People comment so easily that Madras water is salty;why it is so,is something very few give thought to.It is the same with the drinking water in the Delta region;and all along the TN coast.