CHENNAI: Packaged drinking water firms across Tamil Nadu continued their strike for the fourth day on Sunday. The association heads are likely to meet Municipal Administration minister, SP Velumani on Monday.
“We have been trying to meet the minister since Saturday and will mostly do so by Monday and put forth our demands. Also, our case is coming up for hearing in the Madras High Court on Tuesday. We are hoping for something positive,” said A Shakespeare, president, Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers’ Association.
The strike call was given after the court’s recent directive to close borewells from where some units are extracting water without obtaining NOC and to take action such companies. Shakespeare said, “There are totally 420 packaged drinking water units in Chennai and only 128 of them operate with NOCs. Government is stopping units which are extracting water from critical and exploited zones. We are asking the government to impose a bar on the quantity of extraction and not completely stop us.”
A few areas, including T Nagar, Virugambakkam, Velachery, Kodambakkam, Tambaram and Koyambedu, faced water shortage. There were no cans at all in some areas. Price per can go up to Rs 80 against the usual Rs 30-40.
Meanwhile, in a few areas such as Ambattur, Kolathur, Porur, Maduravoyal and Thiruverakadu, local representatives of the public spoke to packaged drinking water manufacturers and a few shops opened. A few residents were sceptical of the quality of water and refrained from buying bubble tops. “We are boiling Metro water and drinking,” said Vaishali R of Iyyappanthangal.
For 1 hr Old people, children were suffering. So, we opened the shops for an hour and supplied one can each to a person,
Sealed
Since Saturday, the officials sealed 12 units in Chengelpet, 11 in Kancheepuram, eight in Tiruvallur and five in Chennai