Tamil Nadu facing severe hydrological drought, make RWH a national movement: CM
New Delhi: Though the state government has taken several measures to mitigate the severe drought, Tamil Nadu is now facing severe hydrological drought, with Chennai and neighbouring districts facing severe water shortage, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said and sought the government to liberally provide financial assistance to take up drinking water projects including desalination plant.
Also he called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convert the rainwater harvesting scheme, a pet project of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, a nationwide programme like the Swachh Bharat initiative of the PM. ]Speaking at the fifth governing council meeting of NITI Aayog here on Saturday, he said the rainwater harvesting should be made a Pan-India movement. “Kudimaramathu” is an age old practice wherein public participation is encouraged in a big way, for restoration of water bodies. This scheme has been re-introduced by us and is a tremendous success and 1600 water bodies have been desilted in the State at a cost of Rs 500 crore,” he pointed out.
On the acute water crisis gripping TN, he said, though his government provided ` 2,247 crore as immediate relief to the farmers as well as Rs 5,300 crore as compensation to the farmers under PMFBY in the last two years, Tamil Nadu required huge financial assistance to mitigate the conditions. “Even before we could recover fully, all the districts of Tamil Nadu are now facing severe hydrological drought, with Chennai and neighbouring districts facing severe water shortage. …. we will require assistance for 5 400 MLD SWRO desalination plant at Perur, at a cost of Rs 6,078 crore, tertiary treatment of waste water for industrial use at a cost of Rs 1,900 crore,” he said.
Apart from sanctioning medical college each for Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar districts, the Centre should fund the construction of 383 check dams and water conservation structures for Rs 736 crore. “As these efforts require funds, I request that special allocation of Rs 1,000 crore per annum may be made to states like Tamil Nadu, which are facing frequent drought,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Palaniswami called on Mr Modi and discussed state specific projects. The Chief Minister visited road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari and water resources minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and discussed state projects related to their ministries. He also called on finance minister Nirmala Seetharaman and sought the immediate disbursal of pending funds. The CM was accompanied by fisheries minister D. Jayakumar and Chief Secretary Girija Vaidhyanathan.
