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Water Supply

Lukewarm response to new Metrowater cards

Friday, 11 June 2010 00:40 administrator
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The Hindu      11.06.2010

Lukewarm response to new Metrowater cards

K.Lakshmi

Consumers at the Nungambakkam depot office of Chennai Metrowater. Lack of awareness is one of the reasons for not many consumers coming forward to obtain the new cards.

CHENNAI: Chennai Metrowater's process of issuing new water and sewerage tax card has evoked lukewarm response from the consumers with only 95,000 cards obtained since April 15.

There are nearly 6.84 lakh assessees of Chennai Metrowater. The cards serve as a record of the details of the consumers and payments made by them. As the validity of the existing card was till March 2010, the new cards are being issued, for five years till 2014-15.

Consumers in various localities across the city said the water agency did not communicate properly to them about the new cards. Many of them had to visit the depot offices more than once to fill self-declaration form and produce property tax book issued by Chennai Corporation.

Officials of Chennai Metrowater said one of the reasons for the lukewarm response could be that many consumers assume it was enough if they had the receipts for the payments made. As there is a possibility of their misplacing or losing the receipts, it is better to have the card, they added.

Tenants could also collect new cards on behalf of their owners and seek the help of officials to fill the self-declaration forms, the officials said.

Metrowater has also begun sending letters to people informing about the tax and charge arrears. An official said such individual letters were being issued for the first time. Of the 2.75 lakh consumers who are yet to pay arrears, such letters have been sent to about 1.50 lakh consumers so far.

The total arrear due to Chennai Metrowater till March 31 is Rs.107.50 crore. Officials said a portion of arrears often cannot be collected due to reasons such as cases pending in the court, building demolition or locked houses.

The water agency targets to collect 80 per cent of the current demand of Rs.100 crore for the first half year up to September for the period 2010-11.

Last Updated on Friday, 11 June 2010 00:42
 

Metro Water shrugs off responsibility

Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:35 administrator
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The New Indian Express      10.06.2010

Metro Water shrugs off responsibility

 

CHENNAI: All accusations by Chennai Corporation's elected representatives on Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) for failing to provide quality drinking water sans sewage mix to city residents was met with silence, on Wednesday. The Metro Water officials preferred to say, "We will discuss all the concerns raised here with our officials."

The joint meeting between Chennai Corporation and Metro Water was organised after deputy chief minister M K Stalin requested for better coordination between them. This came after a spurt of diarrhoea cases and admissions at the Communicable Diseases Hospital (CDH) and also the increasing complaints of sewage mix across the city. The meeting was expected to be stormy but it ended inconclusive as the Metro Water's officials refused to admit any lapse on their part.

Through the meeting the civic body's elected representatives wanted to clear the corporation's name for being blamed for the water problems when the Metro Water was the sole authority to supply quality drinking water to the city.

Besides the civic body's top officials, the meeting was attended by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) secretary Niranjan Mardi, Metro Water managing director Shiv Das Meena, chairmen of corporation's 10 zones and all party leaders.

Speaking to Express after the meeting, Saidai P Ravi, opposition floor leader (Congress) in the corporation, said, "I raised issues like poor maintenance of Metro Water's pumping stations, delayed response to complaints on sewage mixing and poor supply of drinking water but there was no concrete reply from the metro department."

Last Updated on Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:39
 

Minister reviews drinking water scheme

Thursday, 10 June 2010 05:31 administrator
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The Hindu      10.06.2010

Minister reviews drinking water scheme

Special Correspondent

Officials told to ensure cent per cent water supply to all beneficiaries

— Photo: L. Balachandar

Evaluating:The Minister for Slum Clearance, S. Thangavelan, reviewing schemes in Ramanathpuram on Wednesday.

RAMANATHAPURAM: The Minister for Slum Clearance and Accommodation Control, S. Thangavelan, on Wednesday reviewed the functioning of Cauvery drinking water project in the district.

Collector T.N. Hariharan, District Revenue Officer K. Balasubramanian, officials of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board and others took part in it.

The TWAD Board officials presented a picture of supply scheme and mechanism and the target villages and beneficiaries.

Stating that he had received representations from many villages about the lack of water supply, the Minister said the Government had spent huge amount for bringing water from Cauvery to provide drinking water to all villages and hamlets in the district.

Hence, the officials should ensure cent per cent supply of water to all beneficiaries.

Solve problems

The problems pertaining to the water supply should be solved immediately. Efforts should be taken to prevent water flowing on road sides.

Last Updated on Thursday, 10 June 2010 05:34
 
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