The Hindu 05.01.2015
New water connection on demand remains a pipe dream
10 to 20 p.c. of water augmentation scheme work still pending
Though the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation has claimed that it is ready to provide new water connections on demand, many residents complain that the civic body is yet to complete about 10 to 20 per cent of the Rs.178-crore drinking water augmentation scheme work.
It was stated that the Corporation had the capacity to extend 1 lakh new connections in addition to the existing 92,703 connections.
Although the civic body has started providing new connections to residents in fits and starts, field visits to a few areas including Panjapur reveal that last part of laying the distribution line and fine-tuning works are still pending.
The functioning of the overhead water tank at Panjapur is a case in point.
The 2-lakh litre capacity tank at Panjapur was constructed about two years ago. The tank was built to cater to the needs of around 1,000 households in West and East Panjapur, “eighty-eight” Panjapur, Vinayagar Nagar, and other neighbouring areas in the 39{+t}{+h}ward of the Corporation. Though the tank is filled with fresh water almost on a daily basis from the main line of the augmentation scheme, the tank invariably overflows as no new connection has been extended from the tank. Result? Thousands of litres of water get wasted every day.
“A few works have been pending for so long. I have taken it up to the notice of the authorities on several occasions. I have also raised the issue in council meetings. However, the works are moving at a slow pace,” says N. Kathiravan (MDMK), councillor of ward 39.
Most of the residents of Panjapur area are still depending on wells and street pipes for their water supply. Many of these residents are willing to get new connections, he says.
H.Ghouse Baigh, secretary, Consumer Protection Council, Golden Rock branch, said that it was painful to see huge amount of drinking water going waste. The Corporation should either step up completion of last stage of work or take steps to avoid wastage of water. There was a need for reviewing the efficiency of water augmentation scheme. Shortcomings should be addressed immediately. Claiming that there was an “inordinate delay” in processing the applications for water connections, he urged authorities to ensure transparency in issuing connections.
