DHARMAPURI: Residents of Marandahalli are dissatisfied with the announcement of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) board to stop water supply to 34 village panchayats for four days from Tuesday. Residents stated that panchayats usually only supply groundwater with high fluoride content for drinking, which is extremely unhealthy and urged the DRDA and the Town Panchayat to ensure clean water supply.
Recently, the TWAD board and the Dharmapuri administration had announced that due to the expansion of NH 844 between Palacode and Royakottai, they will not be able to provide water to the Hogenakkal Drinking Water and Fluorosis Mitigation Project. So, nearly 32 village panchayats and Marandahalli town panchayat will not receive water. The administration has requested that residents must use water sparsely.
Speaking to TNIE, S Kannan from Marandahalli said, “We have been informed that water will not be supplied for four days between Tuesday and Friday. This announcement has been disheartening, as the summer season has already begun in the district and the water levels are declining alarmingly. We will get borewell water for these four days. The borewell water is salty and cattle often don’t drink from it. So, we urge the panchayat to ensure that we get clean drinking water.”
Another resident, B Manohar from Palacode said, “The pipelines will be removed for the road works, but there is no guarantee that it will be completed in four days. There will be severe water shortages in the area and we urge the administration to ensure clean water supply for us during this time as no announcements regarding the same has been made so far.”
Officials from the Palacode BDO office told TNIE, “We have local water sources, which will be sufficient to cater to the needs of the residents. Panchayats will also be instructed to make the necessary preparations ahead of the water supply disruption.”