Chennai: As a token of thanks to voters of R. K. Nagar Assembly constituency that recently elected her, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced a series of schemes in the Assembly aimed at elevating the civic status of the much-neglected North Chennai area.
The Tondiarpet zone comprising R. K. Nagar got a shot in its arm with civic projects worth Rs 40 crore being announced. Repair of 119 interior roads, renovation of parks, gyms, schools, burial ground and noon meal centres were part of the bonanza announced. Ennore, the gateway to North Chennai, also got a Rs 117 crore grade separator proposal.
For Shollinganallur, the largest constituency in the state in terms of voters, she announced a Rs 65 crore sewage treatment plant. The Chief Minister said it would be based on modern technology through which electricity can be generated. The plant upon commissioning would benefit one lakh people.
Specifically for North Chennai, she also announced projects to improve sanitation, bus shelters and LED lighting of bus route and interior roads. Sanitary workers in urban local bodies who are being provided with half-trousers will hereafter be given full trousers, she said.
Under the new Sustained Drinking Water Movement, pilot project targeting rain water harvesting in 15 lakes, restoration of lakes in greater Chennai and recharging the water bodies through treated waste water would be taken up, she said adding that the state government in the past four years had completed 41 integrated drinking water projects at a cost of Rs 7,324 crore. Civic projects worth Rs 6,600 crore are underway.
Water conservation measures announced
With the city facing severe drinking water crisis following monsoon failures and to meet future drinking water needs, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday announced a new Sustained Drinking water Resource Protection Movement to protect water bodies in the metropolitan area and to build rainwater storage infrastructure in big complexes.
“There is an imminent need to protect, and strengthen water resources so as to fulfill future drinking water needs of Chennai,” she said in a suo moto statement in the Assembly.
Recalling her previous measures like rainwater harvesting scheme, New Veeranam Scheme and desalination plants aimed at fulfilling drinking water needs of Chennai, she said due to such efforts drinking water supply is being ensured for the city despite monsoon failures. Stating that Chennai had 280 water resources like lakes, which play a big role in fulfilling the drinking water needs of the city, she said such resources have been affected due to factors including urbanisation. “A Sustained Drinking water Resource Protection Movement will be launched to protect and develop water resources and ensure fulfillment of the future drinking water needs of Chennai,” she said. As part of the plan, the boundaries of the water bodies would be marked, identification of polluting sources, prevention of dumping of sewage and garbage, erection of recharge wells and water harvesting infrastructures and merger of storm water drains into the water bodies will be taken up. “Such works will be taken up in 15 water bodies to be identified in the metropolitan area,” she said, adding that the steps would also be taken to make use of treated waste water to improve water storage in the lakes.
Under the plan, rainwater harvesting structures will be set up in large residential premises, government buildings and schools and colleges, she said, adding that 15 big complexes would be selected in the city for pilot projects. “Two places would be chosen for erecting recharge well in stormwater drain to recharge ground water,” she said. All the pilot projects will be taken up at the cost of Rs 5 crore, she announced.
To improve drinking water distribution in the city, Ms Jayalalithaa announced that 310 km new pipeline would be laid at a cost of Rs 116 crore in Royapuram, Tondiarpet, Vysarpadi, Arumbakkam, Mylapore, Velachery, Thousand Lights, T Nagar and Vadapalani. She also announced a construction of 54 million litre capacity sewage treatment plant in Sholinganalur to treat waste from 11 added areas in South Chennai at Rs 65.97 crore.
