Urban News

The Hindu      12.08.2010

Facilities soon to monitor quality of waterbodies

Deepa H Ramakrishnan and K.Lakshmi

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board plans to establish facilities to monitor the quality of water at waterbodies around Chennai.

The testing stations, proposed in Poondi, Red Hills, Porur and Pulicat, will study the physiochemical and bacteriological parameters of the water. The Veeranam lake in Cuddalore district from where water is supplied to Chennai would also get a similar facility. The project would be taken up with funding from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

This decision to extend the monitoring programme to more waterbodies follows a communication from the CPCB, asking the TNPCB to increase the number of monitoring stations. The TNPCB now monitors the water quality through 32 stations in Cauvery, Thamirabarani and Vaigai rivers and Kodaikanal, Udhagamandalam and Yercaud lakes. The Zonal Officer, CPCB, (South Zone) A.Manoharan said, “We have asked the TNPCB to add 50 more stations in water sources, including temple tanks, drinking waterbodies, borewells used for drinking water and also have additional stations in rivers.”

Sources in the TNPCB said a proposal for setting up 23 out of the 50 stations had been submitted to the CPCB.

The stations would monitor and record the quality of water for pollution control purposes. “Though the Chennai Metrowater supplies only treated water, we want to test the water that reaches the lakes from catchment areas as there could be discharge of industrial wastes or chemicals,” an official of the TNPCB said.

Officials of Metrowater said samples of raw water from the reservoirs — Poondi, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam — is taken daily for quality check.

The water samples are tested for various parameters including total dissolved solids, turbidity and dissolved metals and salts.

They are sent to the laboratories at the water treatment plants. Coordinated effort between Metrowater and other agencies would facilitate maintaining the quality of drinking water and prevent pollution, said an official of the water agency.

The Hindu       12.08.2010

Five water supply schemes cleared

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Five combined water supply schemes and one supply improvement scheme, totally estimated to cost around Rs. 1,712 crore, have been cleared by the State government. The schemes cover Madurai, Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Virudhunagar, Sivaganga and Tirupur districts.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has ordered that the schemes be given administrative sanction, according to an official statement.

In terms of project cost, the water supply scheme for Madurai district and parts of Sivaganga district is the highest: Rs. 784 crore. Under the project, Melur, Avaniyapuram and Tirumangalam municipalities, A. Vellalapatti, Vilangudi, Paravai, Thirunagar, Alanganallur and Palamedu town panchayats and 1,430 habitations in eight panchayat unions, all located in Madurai district, and Singanampuneri of Sivaganga district will benefit.

This is followed by the Rs. 234-crore scheme for 755 habitations in the unions of Sattur, Vembakottai, Sivakasi, Virudhunagar, Watrap, Srivilliputtur and Aruppukottai of Virudhunagar district. Two more schemes have been cleared for Virudhunagar district. While one scheme, costing Rs. 190 crore, will cover 637 habitations belonging to Aruppukottai, Kariapatti, Tiruchuli, Narikudi and Virudhunagar unions, the other scheme of about Rs.173 crore will take care of seven town panchayats and 395 rural habitations in Rajapalayam, Srivilliputtur, Watrap and Sivakasi unions.

For Nagapattinam, the combined water supply scheme will cost Rs. 105.7 crore and cover 295 rural habitations of Sirkazhi, Kollidam, Sembanar Koil and Mayiladuthurai unions and 315 wayside habitations.

As for Coimbatore and Tirupur districts, the water supply improvement scheme, costing about Rs. 224.92 crore, will benefit the Palladam municipality, 23 town panchayats and 965 rural habitations in eight panchayat unions.