Chennai: Stressing on expansion of rainwater harvesting programme, state municipal administration and rural development minister S.P. Velumani on Friday said 17 temple tanks had been selected for the programme.
He said 32 lakes in the city will be desilted this year and the rainwater harvesting structure will be set up in 15 city complexes to create awareness among the people. He said modern slaughter houses would be built at Nagapattinam, Salem and Erode. Modern crematoriums would come up at Thanjavur, Thiruthuraipoondi, Usilampatti and Pammal. The bus stands at Dindigul, Salem and Vellore would be renovated He said solar power lamps would be distributed to 3,500 fishermen to help them carry out fishing during nights.
In his reply to the discussion on demands for grant to his ministry in the Assembly, the minister said the government had allocated Rs 21,478 crores for drinking water projects.
The government had provided drinking water connections to 24,603 rural houses, 20,691 government schools, hostels, anganwadis and health centres.
He said six integrated drinking water schemes had been implemented for the benefit of Salem, Virudhunagar, Vellore, Madurai, Sivagangai and Coimbatore.Besides nine drinking water schemes for Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Dindigul, Tiruchy, Salem and Pudukottai are in progress. The state government is giving 1.842 million litre every day for the people, he said.
An MoU for another desalination plant at Nemmeli at a cost of Rs 1,371 crore had been signed and tender for it would be issued soon. Desalination plants would come up at Kudhiraimozhi in Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin.
