CHENNAI: Residents of Perumbakkam Housing Board tenements complained that there is a delay in getting water to their homes, due to lack of motors to pump out potable water from underground sumps into the overhead tanks in their buildings.
Currently, 18,000 families, who were relocated from different parts of Chennai, reside here. The eight-storey blocks have a capacity to accommodate 192 families, while the newly-built ones have a capacity to house 96 families. The sump capacity for each block is 50,000 litres.
The residents said that only common motors are installed for every three blocks, and they do not have individual motors to pump out water. Sudharshan, a resident of M block, said there is only a common motor for M, N and O blocks which has caused delay in getting adequate water to each house, and common motors have a less horsepower to pump out water, which results in delay and uneven distribution of water, he said.
Last year, the residents made several attempts to inform the Slum Board authorities about this issue, but so far no action has been taken. Residents also alleged that they do not receive sufficient water from the sumps since others pump out more water using the common motors.
K Nallathambi, head of the Public Welfare Association of the tenements, said that there were motors installed for every block, but they were stolen by miscreants. “When the buildings were constructed, Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) had placed individual motors for each block. But, either the people living there or the contractors themselves could have stolen it.”
On behalf of the association, Nallathambi had made several representations to the erstwhile Managing Directors (MDs) of the Slum Board. Officials from Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board said, every block is supposed to have an individual motor and “we will ensure all the blocks have individual motors after the inspection.”