CHENNAI: Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) will provide solar power, safe drinking water and improved sanitation in three villages that are close to Cauvery Basin Refinery in Nagapattinam.
The project is being funded by CPCL under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme and will be executed by IIT Madras at an estimated cost of `14.49 cr within two years. The villages that will benefit are Vellalapakkam, Gopurajapuram and Panangudi. A Memorandum of Understanding is signed between CPCL and IIT Madras. A team from IIT Madras has already visited the villages along with CPCL officials to ascertain the requirements and to start planning the project.
Ravindra Gettu, dean (Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research), IIT Madras, appreciated CPCL for its social commitment. Rajeev Ailawadi, director (Finance), CPCL, said they will provide all support required to IIT Madras towards its execution.
IIT Madras will conduct topographical survey to study the area and ground levels for designing the water distribution system. It will also assess the pond and conduct water quality testing, estimate the yield of wells in the area and carry out an electrical resistivity survey to design borewells.
During the initial surveys, it was found that many household toilet of the region were soak pits, which was an environmental hazard as the output will contaminate the groundwater. According to an official statement from IIT Madras, all such toilets in the villages will be converted to septic tank-based treatment that would cause less harm.
IIT Madras will also work towards improving infrastructure and constructing Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants and drinking water distribution systems in the village schools/anganwaadis, rejuvenating and rehabilitating the water bodies. Solar Power for Households, Compost yard construction, skill development and health care activities would also be undertaken, the statement added.