Talks with striking Chennai tankers delayed by poll results

Despite private tankers announcing their decision to go on strike from Monday, government agencies caught up with elections, have not taken any steps to solve the crisis at hand.
(File | EPS)
(File | EPS)

CHENNAI: Despite private tankers announcing their decision to go on strike from Monday, government agencies caught up with elections, have not taken any steps to solve the crisis at hand. Even though the strike is yet to start and tankers are still supplying water, many apartments across the city, had exhausted their supply on Wednesday night itself. 

Members from private water tanker associations said that government officials concerned, had not tried to contact them so far and no meeting was organised due to election results being announced on Thursday. 
Nijalingam N, President of South Chennai Private Water Tanker Association, said that only around 2,000 water tankers of 12,000-litre capacity, supplied water to the city on Wednesday and added that the number of tankers operating, will go down by 10-20 per cent in the next three days.

“As election results will be announced tomorrow, no government official was ready to talk to us to seek a solution. We are aware of the residents’ struggle and are trying our best to tap water from other places. Our intention is not to add to their suffering. We too want a solution which is suitable for all.” 

Private water tankers which supply water to half of the city’s population, decided to go on strike from May 27, opposing the government’s recent crackdown on groundwater tapping. Following this, a group of 10 apartment complexes in OMR, are planning to conduct a protest on Saturday to express their woes regarding the government’s inability to cater to their basic needs.

“For 600 families living in our apartment complex, we need 11-12 loads of 24,000 litres of water everyday. Because of the strike, we received only nine loads today. We got supply for an hour in the morning and no water at night. This is how dire our situation is even before the strike has begun,” said M Harshal of Okkiyam Thoraipakkam.  

Most of the apartments along OMR don’t opt for tankers provided by Chennai Metro Water Board as it takes a minimum of two weeks to arrive and tanker capacity is too less, said residents. Other areas which are severely affected by the strike are Tambaram, Pallavaram, Nanganallur, Pallikaranai, Velachery, Saidapet, Egmore, Purasawalkam, Anna Nagar and Madhavaram. Mainly, municipalities which don’t come under the Chennai Corporation limit, are badly hit because of their overt dependence on private tankers. Subha Srikanth, a resident of a gated community in Navalur, said that they got only eight tankers against a requirement of 22 tankers. “People are storing as much water as possible. Residents who work, don’t have anyone to store water for them. We are giving supply to one washroom and kitchen of all houses. Many are planning to leave the city if the strike starts. This water scarcity is purely a reflection of the government’s lack of planning,” she added.

Officials from the revenue department said that any talks with tanker associations, will be held only after the election results are announced.” Officials in all departments concerned, are busy with election work. Locals from affected villagers have complained to us about over extraction of groundwater by tankers. We have to arrive at a solution which is amicable for all. As all three districts are involved, heads of many departments needs to consulted. There is a suo motu contempt case pending in the Madras High Court on this issue too,” added the official.

Errata
Chennai: In the story titled '4,500 water tankers to go on strike today’ that appeared in these columns on May 22, it was wrongly mentioned that private water tankers are beginning the strike from May 22. Water tanker owners have announced that the strike is only from May 27. The error is regretted.

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