CHENNAI: While farmers in the Delta region are struggling to get their share of the Cauvery water, residents of Pallavaram and Chromepet have been finding it difficult to get their share of the Palar water.
Residents allege that they get water supply only thrice a month and fear the situation might get worse in the coming days. Ironically, residents of Pallavaram Municipality pay almost thrice the amount of what their counterparts in the city pay for government water supply. “While the Palar water shortage has been a longstanding issue, supply has been particularly erratic this year and dropping groundwater levels have forced even people with wells to buy water,” says V Santhanam, a civic activist, adding that repeated petitions to the Pallavaram Municipality have fallen on deaf ears.
Rapid urbanisation is usually blamed for the water shortage, but sources claim only four of the 14 recharge wells on the Palar riverbank are operational. This has forced the Pallavaram Municipality to drastically ration the 40 lakh litres it receives. Industrial grade blue tubs line the streets of BBR Nagar, NSK Nagar, Raghava Nagar and Bhuvaneswari Nagar. However, residents say despite their measures to save every drop of the limited supply, they still have to privately buy water to meet the domestic demand.
“We usually have to buy water only during peak summer, but I have been buying water from March 15,” said M C Balaraman, president, BBR Nagar Welfare Association, claiming each 9,000 litre load costs `1,200. Residents in NSK Nagar also say the quality of water they are forced to buy is questionable. “Some of us have developed rashes,” says a woman, who wished to remain anonymous.
The Pallavaram Municipality, however, has expressed hope that the project to supply Chembarambakkam water to its residents would be functional by July.
“Once the Chembarambakkam project is ready, we will get 29 mld of water and we can supply water to residents on a daily basis,” says a senior official in the Pallavaram Municipality. Rejuvenation of waterbodies Residents are, however, sceptical of receiving water from Chembarambakkam this year and demand a rejuvenation of waterbodies in the area as a longterm measure. “With five waterbodies in the vicinity, Pallavaram Municipality can be self-sufficient,” says Santhanam. However, untreated sewage and irresponsible disposal of solid waste over the year have rendered the water in these lakes non-potable.
The Pallavaram Municipality says rejuvenation of the Pallavaram and Keelkattalai lakes would begin in a few weeks.