TIRUNELVELI: Works are on a war footing to bring drinking water to water-starved Chennai from Jolarpet by railway tankers in the next couple of weeks, said S.P. Velumani, state minister for municipal administration, rural development and implementation of special programmes.
Responding to media persons after holding a review meeting on the water crisis in the five southern districts of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram at the collectorate here on Wednesday, Velumani said that the problem of acute water scarcity being faced by the state, especially the capital city, was due to the delay in the southwest monsoon.
The State government has been taking all possible measures to ensure drinking water, said the minister, who added that the Chief Minister had sanctioned Rs 430 crore to resolve the water crisis in the state.
Adding that the process to bring surplus water of around 10 MLD supplied to Jolarpet in Vellore from the Mettur combined water scheme is being carried out on a war footing, the minister hoped that the process would be completed soon and Chennai would get water transported from Jolarpet in the next couple of weeks.
He added that around 10,600 constructions encroaching water bodies in Chennai were cleared after ensuring housing facilities for the residents whose houses were demolished.
Earlier, the minister along with cabinet colleagues M Manikandan, Kadambur Raj and V Rajalakshmi reviewed the on-going combined drinking water schemes in the five southern districts.
