THOOTHUKUDI: Taking the idea of atmanirbhar (self reliance) a little further, the district administration has planned to distribute 1hp (horsepower) hand-held motor pumps to the public, free of cost, so that they can pump out the excess rainwater by themselves. After de-watering efforts of the corporation faced a setback, officials made self-reliance their new mantra.
The district administration procured 50 1hp pumps and 10 heavy duty pumps of 30-40hp capacity from Coimbatore through CSR funds. It may be noted that at least two lakh people out of the four lakh population of the district, have been living in inundated areas. Most of them fall in the north and west zones which lack a proper drainage system.
Sources said increasing the level of roads without proper study has obstructed the natural flow of water. “The roads laid over the past two decades blocked the water ways,” senior citizens here said. At least four tanks, including Kokkur and Pulipanchankulam, were illegally converted into housing plots, said activists.
According to officials, the heavy duty pumps will be used to pump-out water in affected areas where water cannot flow out naturally. “Muthammal Colony, Rahmath Nagar, Dhanasekaran Nagar, Ayyappan Nagar, Indra Nagar and others are located at the sub-zero sea level,” they said.
Collector Dr K Senthil Raj said the district administration had initially procured 50 electric hand-held motors of 1hp capacity. “These ready-to-plug motors, will be given to the public free of cost temporarily through a register maintained by the sanitary inspector concerned. People can contact the corporation to get these pumps, and give it back after pumping out water,” the collector said. Corporation commissioner Charsushree said people can give their family card, Aadhar cards or voter ID s cards to get the pumps.