CHENNAI: Chennai may be compelled to depend on tankers, farm wells, desalination plants and ground water from Tiruvallur, Neyveli and Kancheepuram if the all the four reservoirs supplying water to the city dry up, according to a contingency plan.
During a review of the drinking water situation in the State by Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani here on Tuesday, along with Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) secretary Phanindra Reddy and Metrowater managing director Arun Roy, it was decided to tap 50 MLD of water from the Paravanur river in Cuddalore.
Sources said the government had decided to take up works worth Rs 61 crore to quench the thirst of the city in summer.
Plans are also afoot to sink 55 borewells in Neyveli which will supply 30MLD of water to the city. Similarly, 100 MLD of water would be extracted from 300 farm wells in Thiruvallur district.
Water will also be brought in by lorries making 500 trips from Kancheepuram district. A total of 10 MLD of water will be tapped from Pallur, Mamandur abd Karungizhi in Kancheepuram district, said the Metrowater spokesman.
Metrowater also has hired 100 tankers for supplying water in Chennai city. Even the trips made by tankers have been increased from 4,200 to 6,500.
The dead storage of 409 million cubic feet of water would be pumped out from Red Hills and Cholavaram for supplying water to the city.
Meanwhile, the minister has ordered that special attention should be paid to Thoothukudi and Madurai districts.