The Hindu 16.09.2014
Protests against water plant near Athoor dam intensifies
Councillor wonders how permission was granted to sink borewell near dam
Protests over a private purified water plant functioning
near Athoor Kamarajar dam, the drinking water source for Dindigul,
Chinnalapatti and 17 villages, have been growing by the day.
Dindigul
Corporation councillor R. Vijaya Kumar submitted a petition to
Collector N. Venkatachalam on Monday, demanding closure of the plant. In
his petition, the councillor stated that at a time when drinking water
was being supplied once in 15 days to Dindigul Corporation areas, the
plant had sunk a borewell near the outlet point of the dam. Drawing
large quantities of water would ultimately deplete the storage in the
dam, he said, and wondered how the authorities granted permission to
sink the borewell near the dam.
Mr. Vijaya Kumar
appealed to the Collector to take steps to close the unit so that
drinking water supply from the dam would not be affected.
Dindigul
MLA K. Balabharathi of the Communist Party of India (Marxists), who
expressed grave concern over dwindling water level in the dam, also
demanded closure of the water plant. Since the dam had only seven feet
of water against the total storage level of 23 feet, the Corporation
could supply drinking water only once in a fortnight.
The
plant had been drawing a huge quantum of water, she said, and demanded
its closure. She called for an inquiry and action against authorities
who granted licence to the plant.
Ms. Balabharathi
had already announced that a signature campaign would be launched and
protests staged if the licence was not revoked and the plant not shut
down.
Meanwhile, the Corporation officials sent a letter to the Public Works Department to initiate action against the plant.
