Urban News

The Hindu 03.09.2009

TWAD Board resumes Pilloor water supply

Staff Reporter

File Photo: M. Periasamy

On a war footing: Work in progress to replace the damaged Pilloor pipeline. —

Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) on Wednesday evening resumed pumping of Pilloor water supply from the Velliangadu treatment plant.

Officials pointed out that water is expected to reach the Main Service Reservoir (MSR) at Saravanampatty by small hours of Thursday and thereafter it would reach tail end areas of the city and way side habitations. Water supply managers were confident of ensuring a streamlined supply for all areas from Thursday night and Friday morning.

On August 30 and 31, the TWAD had availed a shutdown in supply for connecting the mild steel pipes instead of the pre stressed concrete pipes that often created problems such as leaks and bursts.

On September 1, supply resumed in the morning but within a few hours, the authorities noticed a leak in one of the pipelines and the supply had to be suspended. TWAD authorities worked on plugging the leak since September 1 afternoon and completed the works by Wednesday afternoon.

The first pumping motor was switched on around 4 p.m. and water was expected to reach the city by late night. After ensuring a flow without hitches, the TWAD authorities had planned to switch on the remaining three motors one after the other.

The Hindu 20.08.2009

Water samples taken from Kamaraj Sagar Dam for pollution tests

Special Correspondent

Photo: Special Arrangement

Is it polluted?: Officials taking a sample from a water source at Indunagar near the Kamaraj Sagar Dam on Wednesday. —

Udhagamandalam: A committee has been constituted to look into the problem of pollution in the Kamaraj Sagar Dam and conduct a detailed survey, the Nilgiris Collector Anandrao V.Patil said here on Wednesday.

Members

He told The Hindu that the committee headed by the District Revenue Officer Prabhakaran comprised nine members including the Assistant Executive Engineer, Pollution Control Board; the Assistant Director, Fisheries; Municipal Commissioner; the Assistant Director (Town Panchayat); as well as revenue and TWAD board officials.

The Collector said that samples had been taken at five places on Wednesday.

Pointing out that the condition of the water in the streams flowing into the dam was also being examined, Mr.Patil said that more samples would be taken on Thursday.

Arrangements have been made to send the samples to a laboratory in Chennai in order to be tested for the level of pollution present.

Stating that the source of pollution would be identified, he said that severe action would be taken against those responsible for polluting the water in the dam.

Efforts would be made to keep it pollution free.

The action that was taken by the district administration was in response to a report relating to the polluted condition of the dam, which appeared in these columns on Wednesday.

Report

The report had pointed out that concern was growing over the increasing pollution of the water body and emphasized the need to identify the source by taking samples from various parts of the dam and the reservoirs into which its water flows.