CHENNAI: The Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin on Thursday warned that Chennai is facing severe threat of drinking water scarcity this year and urged the state government to take steps to bring Krishna water to the city, besides ensuring measures to restore the production of Nemmeli desalination plant to its full capacity. The storage level in the lakes Poondi, Puzhal, Chembarambakkam and Sholavaram had depleted and the present storage in all the reservoirs supplying drinking water to Chennai had decreased to just 1 tmc, he said. As per the agreement, Andhra Pradesh government should supply 12,000 cubic feet every year, but the neighbouring state is not supplying the stipulated quantity of water. Besides, the water released by Andhra Pradesh government is used by the state’s farmers along the canals and only 336 million cubic feet had reached Chennai.
The supply of Krishna water had been stopped now and the Tamil Nadu government had not taken action to hold negotiations and get water for Chennai, he said. Municipalities and Water Supply minister S.P. Velumani is focusing his attention on Thanjavur by-polls and had not realised the importance of the drinking water issue.
The AIADMK government had failed to desilt lakes and store water to their full capacity, the DMK leader charged. He said most of the places in North Chennai are not getting drinking water now, he said, and added that people are complaining that drinking water is contaminated with sewage. People of Kolathur constituency are also complaining of sewage contamination in drinking water, he said.
He said the Nemmeli desalination plant is not producing its full capacity of 100 million litres daily and the government should take steps to restore the plant to its full capacity. The capital was affected by floods last year and is facing the threat of drinking water scarcity this year, due to the complacency of the state government, he alleged.
