The Hindu               03.01.2014

Seven motors used for illegally pumping drinking water seized

Seven electric motors used by the residents in Sainathapuram and Viruppakshipuram areas of Vellore for illegally pumping drinking water from the distribution lines were seized by the authorities of Vellore Corporation on Thursday.

In view of the water scarcity in many areas, most residents in whose houses the borewells have gone dry resort to the illegal practice of using motors to pump the water from the distribution whenever water is supplied by the Corporation.

According to residents of Sainathapuram, many borewells in their area up to a depth of 200 feet went dry during the months of November and December last forcing them to buy water to meet their non-consumption water needs. Some residents complained that there was no yield even if they dig for 300 feet. As far as the drinking water supply by the Corporation is concerned, they get water only once in 15 days. Many have installed reverse osmosis water purifier systems to convert the water stored in overhead tanks into drinking water.

The drinking water supply position is worse in Thorappadi where the residents have not got water in their pipes for nearly a month.

Janaki Raveendran, Commissioner of Vellore Corporation, said that while seven motors were seized from the residential areas of Sainathapuram and Viruppakshipuram on Thursday, the drinking water connection of one house was disconnected since the house-owner resisted the seizure of the motor.

As many as 200 motors were seized by the authorities in the last few months, she said.