The Hindu                  09.01.2014

Groundwater to be tapped to overcome water shortage

Special Correspondent

Chennai Metrowater plans to tap ground water from the additional borewells sunk in well fields to manage drinking water supply after April.

With the northeast monsoon in Chennai deficit by 41 per cent, the water agency will only be able to sustain the present drinking water supply until March with available resources.

Addressing a seminar on monsoons 2013 organised by the Regional Meteorological Centre on Wednesday, Chennai Metrowater’s managing director, B. Chandramohan, said in a bid to manage the shortage of resources in reservoirs, Metrowater plans to draw groundwater from its well fields in Tamaraipakkam, Minjur and Neyveli.

Besides drawing an additional 20 million litres a day (mld) from the well fields kept in store for crises, the water agency also plans to hire agricultural wells to augment water supply if required.

Though 2012’s rainfall was also low, continuous supply from the Veeranam tank and two desalination plants in Minjur and Nemmeli helped Metrowater manage the shortfall.

Of the 575 million litres a day supplied now on alternate days, the three sources contributed to about 380 mld, he said. The State has also requested a sustained release of Krishna water until June.

Y.E.A. Raj, deputy director general of meteorology, Chennai, said that though four systems formed over the Bay of Bengal, they did not bring much rainfall to the State. Chennai has now recorded its fifth poor northeast monsoon season over the past 45 years.

In the monsoon season, 27 districts of the State recorded deficient rainfall. Only five districts — Dharmapuri, Kanyakumari, Krishnagiri, The Nilgiris and Tirunelveli — registered normal rainfall. The State recorded 29 cm as against the expected 44 cm, deficit by 33 per cent.

The Hindu                  09.01.2014

Property tax assessment to go online

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

System to be launched after Pongal by the revenue department.

Residents in Chennai will shortly have an option for online property tax assessment.

Residents of all 15 zones will be able to use the system to assess property tax for new buildings, for assessment of modified structures and special buildings, change of name on property tax records or revision of tax.

The system will be launched after Pongal by the revenue department and similar systems will gradually be adopted by other departments of the Corporation.

Such systems are expected to strengthen the Corporation’s monitoring mechanism and improve delivery of civic services.

A resident who submits an application at the public relation centres will receive a serial number for reference.

The application will be forwarded to the revenue official concerned on the same day after approval by the zonal official.

After field verification, the required process will be made through the system.

Officials including assistant revenue officers, zonal officers, regional deputy commissioners, deputy commissioner (revenue and finance) and Commissioner will screen all the data on a daily basis.

The reasons for any delay in processing applications will be communicated to senior officials regularly. The existing system for property tax assessment, changes or modifications has elicited poor response from residents because of delay in processing applications.

The bulk of the 11.5 lakh properties continue to deny the Corporation substantial revenues.

The system will also be a step towards improving revenue in the coming years.