CHENNAI: Local administration minister S.P. Velumani on Friday said steps would be taken to supply drinking water from July 8 to the city from Porur lake and added that projects worth Rs 121 crore would be implemented to solve problems of water scarcity in the state. Replying to a call attention motion brought by DMK MLA M. Subramanian in the Assembly, he said bore wells had been dug throughout the state and works are progressing on a war footing to solve the water crisis. All works would be completed within July.
For Chennai, water is being drawn from agricultural wells in Tiruvallur district, besides wells in Neyveli, Paravanaru and Kedilam. Water is also being supplied from Sholavaram and Red Hills lakes, besides Sikkarayapuram stone quarries. The number of water tankers had been increased and even the small lakes near the city are being utilized to supply water to the city. About 30 million litres of water is taken at a cost of Rs 13 crore from stone quarries to supply drinking water to Chennai after purification, the minister said.
The water obtained from the summer showers and monsoon rains too is being storied and sent to the places of water scarcity, he said. Earlier, Subramanian said the government should set up desalination plants in coastal areas to supply drinking water to the people. He said water storage tanks should be installed at suitable places to supply water to all the areas.
