Chennai: It’s drinking water pots everywhere and with reduced water supplies, Chennai and several other parts of Tamil Nadu are battling to get a share of the precious commodity. The Kathri heat that is making people ask for more is also making the tempers run high.
“With the availability of drinking water getting scarce by the day, we have no option but to stage protests with empty pots demanding the officials to ensure regular supplies,” says Meena in Royapuram.
Though South Chennai is wee better than other parts of the metro, the ground water level is fast receding and the residentsare apprehensive of an imminent crisis.
Neighbouring Kancheepuram too is reeling under acute water scarcity owing to the meager rainfall received in the State.
The water scarcity is so acute is the city that the Metrowater board commenced rationing in January, thus bringing down the total daily supply steeply from about 880 million litres a day to 550 million litres a day.
By June, the city will not get any water from its three principal sources - Red Hills lake, Poondi reservoir and Cholavaram lake. From May 15, the Chennai Metrowater Supply and Sewerage Board has stopped drawing water from the Red Hills lake, which supplies the city 90 million litres-120 million litres a day.
