The Times of India 05.04.2013
Water filling station setup for immediate relief
corporation has launched a water filling station on the city outskirts
through which the civic body intends to supply two lakhlitres
water per day to the areas affected with drinking water crisis. A
filling station was established by sinking three bore wells at Mangalakudi in corporation zone two and an overhead tank (OHT) with the capacity of 30,000 litres was constructed. The water pumped from the bore wells will be collected in OHT and will be filled in the tankers.
The water will be supplied to areas like Uthankudi, Karpaganagar, Masthanpatti, Melamadai, TahsildarNagar, Vandiyur, Sathamangalam, Anna Nagar, KKNagar and Pudur
in Zone 2. Two tankers were pressed into the service to distribute
water in these areas and the water will be also stored in the plastic
tanks placed in these areas, corporation officials said.
Mayor, V V Rajan Chellappa inaugurated the filling station in the presence of corporation commissioner, R Nanthagopal on Thursday.
The water scarcity had become intense in the city areas after the onset
of summer and there have been frequent protests in many parts of the
city as well as in the annexed areas. The civic body has been taking up
various proposals to address the drinking water woes. Recently, the city
corporation launched a helpline number for the public to complain about
the drinking water problems in their areas. The helpline received
overwhelming response with desperate public calling up the corporation
with their woes. The corporation had also proposed to sink 400 bore
wells in the city and outskirts to solve the drinking water crisis.
City engineer, A Mathuram said that they are identifying the areas with
good water sources and Mangalakudi was found to have favourable ground
water level. The filling station was the immediate relief, he said. “We
are surveying favourable areas through hydrologists from Tamil Nadu
Water and Drainage Board and Public Works Department. We are finding some areas at Vandiyur, Melakkal and outskirts where such filling stations can be established,” he said.
Sending out a strong message that drinking water theft cannot be
tolerated, the corporation on Thursday seized 28 motors from households,
which used them to draw drinking water supplied through pipes. With
drinking water scenario turning alarming, there were complaints pouring
about water thefts and based on that corporation engineers took out a
zone-wise inspection. They seized 28 motors used for the purpose.
Nanthagopal warned that criminal action will be taken against the people
involved in such water theft and their drinking water connection will
be disconnected besides seizing the motors, he said.
