The Deccan Chronicle 09.08.2010
Water pipe dream here
Chennai, Aug. 8: Residents of Kathivakkam municipality are irked over the local body’s failure to provide adequate supply of drinking water even a year after completing a Rs 6.22 crore drinking water supply scheme.
“In spite of paying the amount fixed by the local body for availing the water connection, we are not receiving daily water supply,” said S. Saraswathi, a local resident. She said that the local people are entirely dependent on Metro Water supplied by the municipality as the groundwater at Kathivakkam is unfit for consumption due to high fluorine content.
N. Thirusangu, chairman of the municipality, said the municipality is supplying drinking water on alternative days to households which have piped drinking water connection and those houses which do not have pipe connection are being supplied water through lorries.
Though a drinking water project was implemented in the municipality at a cost of Rs 6.22 crore last year to supply 11 lakh litres of water a day, the local body is still facing water shortage, the municipal chairman said.
“The failure to replace the existing 3.1 km long pipeline which has a capacity to carry only 5 lakh litres of water a day with a 12 inch pipe to increase the carrying capacity to 12 lakh litres. We have prepared a plan to replace the pipeline at a cost of Rs. 4.5 crore and it will be submitted to the commissioner of municipal administration very soon for his approval,” he said.
