CHENNAI: Since as early as 2002, Tamil Nadu, especially Chennai, has been mostly dependent on packaged drinking water. In a State with a poor track record in water availability and quality, drinking water units have been regarded as a blessing. The industry, however, is in troubled waters now, courtesy of the pandemic.
According to E Saravanan, general secretary, Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water association, a factory making 1,000 cans of drinking water a day before Covid-19 is producing only 300-400 cans of water post pandemic. There has been at least 60 per cent fall in demand.
Though it’s not exactly clear just how big it is, industry experts say Chennai’s water-bottling industry alone is one of the world’s largest. Taking into account all its branches, including recycling, production, and supply, the revenue of the bottling sector runs into millions of rupees, according to sources. So, when demand plunges by around 60 per cent, the livelihood of thousands is at stake.
“Those who once engaged in supply and were planning to buy houses and give a good education to their children are unable to even eat thrice a day,” said Saravanan, adding that many left the industry to work for a soft-drink unit.
Pandemic, however, is not alone in battering the industry. Proliferation of small water tankers has also been flagged an issue. Many unit owners says these tankers should be regulated. They sell the water terming it to be pure, but there is no regulatory body to check its quality, according to sources. FSSAI and ISI authorities say they cannot regulate loose water; only packaged water comes under their purview. While only 12,000-20,000 litre tankers plied in the State earlier, following an uptick in demand, 1,000-2,000 litre capacity tankers have also started operating in the State.
“Almost 50 per cent of offices have not begun functioning post pandemic. And some of those functioning are opting for these tankers. It’s is becoming impossible to survive in an industry that had so much potential just a couple of years ago,” said J Anantha Narayanan, president, Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water association.
He also cited issues like rise in diesel prices, labour shortage, and lack of government support. According to him, Tamil Nadu’s dependence on packaged drinking water is at least 50 per cent more than other South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala. A water can sells at an average `30-45 in Tamil Nadu.
“All that the government did for us is increasing the period to pay our taxes. That, however, isn’t enough. Even during the 2019 drought, when Chennai had absolutely no water, it was the bottling units that came to the rescue of the public. We never know when we might run out of water again,” said L Selvam, who was working at a packaged drinking water unit that was shut down earlier this year after facing losses.
It may be noted that in a State that drowned in a flood, battered by a cyclone, and dried up by the worst drought in 140 years (all in the span of a year (2015-16), the water situation could be unpredictable.
In this series, TNIE focuses on the need to conserve water before it’s too late