Urban News

The Hindu 18.07.2009

Stern action against illegal tapping of drinking water

Special Correspondent

ARIYALUR: The Ariyalur municipality has warned that stern action would be taken against persons tapping drinking water illegally by using motors and by creating huge pits along the 28-km main water pipeline from the water pumping station at Tirumanur to Ariyalur.

According to Vijayalakshmi Selvarajan, chairperson of Ariyalur municipality, two giant wells were dug on the Coleroon river at Tirumanur through World Bank assistance in 1989 and two more wells later and about 29 lakh litres of water was now being pumped out and protected water being distributed to Ariyalur municipal area and to wayside places including Tirumanur, Sathamangalam, Keezhapazhur, Varanavasi and Thavuthaikulam.

She said that the main water pipeline laid two decades ago was getting damaged at many places due to widening of roads and increased vehicular traffic between Tirumanur and Ariyalur.

However, the municipality has been cleaning the pipelines periodically and providing protected drinking water every day both in the morning and evening .

Disconnection warned

The chairperson warned that stern action including disconnection of water supply to the houses and seizure of electric motors would be initiated if they failed to stop the illegal tapping of water within a week and close the pits dug up for pilfering water from the main pipeline.

The Hindu 17.07.2009

Water overflows from Pilloor Dam

Special Correspondent

Photo: K. Ananthan

RELIEF: Water overflowing from the Pilloor Dam is good news for Coimbatore city and suburbs. —

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation will resume alternate day supply of drinking water in the city on Friday what with water overflowing from the Pilloor Dam on Thursday and the water level rising fast in the Siruvani Dam, Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra said.

Water supply officials in the Corporation said 35,000 cusecs were being discharged from the Pilloor Dam as storage had reached the full capacity of 1,568 million cubic feet. As the inflow was 35,000 ft, that much water had to be let into River Bhavani, they said.

Mayor R. Venkatachalam said the level in the Siruvani Dam was also rising quickly towards the full reservoir level of 67.44 ft. It was 54 ft at 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.

The level rose sharply from 49 ft on Wednesday morning because of 190 mm rain. The dam had 121 mm rain on Wednesday also.

The Mayor said reports from Siruvani Dam said there was heavy rain throughout the day. “ There is heavy inflow from all the falls that bring water from the upper reaches of Siruvani Hills,” he said. “If heavy rain continues, water may overflow from Siruvani Dam on Sunday. We very nearly had a scare during this summer. The monsoon seems to have saved us, at least for now,” he said.

The Commissioner said: “People should still exercise caution in the use of drinking water as the Siruvani Dam is not full yet.”

Though the South West Monsoon was delayed and even dormant for some time, the overflow from Pilloor Dam this time had happened earlier than the one last year, Corporation sources pointed out.

Last year, water overflowed from the dam on July 26. This year, the rain had been heavy enough to make up for the delay.