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Water Security Mission will be extended across TN

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The New Indian Express    23.03.2017 

Water Security Mission will be extended across TN

By Express News Service  |   Published: 23rd March 2017 01:32 AM  |  

Last Updated: 23rd March 2017 06:22 AM  |   A+A-   |  

CHENNAI: The ‘Sustainable Water security mission’, which was begun in Chennai, will be replicated across the State by the next financial year, says Phanindra Reddy, principal secretary, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department.

He was speaking to the Express on the sidelines of the Water Conclave 2017. The sustainable water security mission that was launched by Jayalalithaa had five components: campus rain water harvesting; grey water recycling and reuse; storm water harvesting; restoration and rejuvenation of water bodies; and research, documentation and outreach.

SS Rajagopalan, former director, State Water Resources Management Agency and former chief engineer, Water Resources Department, said the State Water Policy was not renewed since 2002. Reddy reacted to it saying that while the policy remained on paper, sustainable water security mission would play the role of an action plan instead.

Around 280 water bodies were identified in Chennai, of which 32 were shortlisted for the project and a detailed report was prepared for four to five. Pilot projects were initiated for 15 water bodies.

“We’ve instructed each municipality to desilt and deepen reservoirs in their area without expecting extra Government funds,” he said. “Apart from cleaning natural reservoirs, we have extended the project to temple tanks,” he said. In Chennai, 17 temple tanks was identified to ensure that the tanks were replenished and cleaned and if there was no inflow of water, the reason would be analysed. “We have completed restoring two of these tanks,” he said.

 

Last Updated on Friday, 24 March 2017 14:16