COIMBATORE: Residents of Pattanam village panchayat have submitted a petition to the Minister for Backward Classes Welfare V Sampath Kumar, the in-charge minister for the district, asking him to sort out the acute drinking water shortage that has persisted for around 10 years in their panchayat.
Nine revenue villages within the Pattanam panchayat within the Sulur taluk have been facing acute scarcity of drinking water, with water being supplied only once in 25 days. A five-fold rise in population and water being supplied as per old estimates have been blamed for the shortage in the area, which lies in the periphery of Coimbatore city.
"As per the previous census, the population of the panchayat was only 9,200. The drinking water supply is still based on this outdated number. At present, the panchayat, comprising 12 wards, now has a population of more than 35,000, and the drinking water is not supplied in accordance with this growth. Drinking water is supplied from the Pillur water scheme.
While other panchayats receive water once a week, it is delayed here to once every 20 to 25 days. The quantity of drinking water supplied should be increased. We have stressed our demand with the minister," said S Santhosh, a social activist from the village.
The panchayat has nine villages — Pattanam, Pattanam Pudur, Nagammanayakkanpalayam, Kaveri Nagar, Venkateshwara Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Murugan Nagar, AS Nagar and Ishwarya Nagar. The rise in population in the last three years is a significant reason for the increased water demand, locals said.
"We have been making the same demand for more than three years, but it is yet to be addressed. The minister has assured that appropriate action will be taken. Additionally, we have also demanded a safety crossing for our village on the Kochi-Salem National Highway to access Coimbatore city," Santhosh added.
When asked, panchayat officials said the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board has been supplying 5-6 lakh litres of water per day, while the panchayat needs more than 12 lakh litres to meet the demand. "We have also informed the district administration to find a better solution for the issue," said an official.