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.