THOOTHUKUDI: Over 200 families in Keelnattukurichi of the district are grappling with water shortage for the past ten days as residents say the pipelines supplying to two villages in the panchayat under two separate schemes were damaged during road re-laying works under way in the area. We are now forced to collect water from muddy roadside puddles formed by the leaking pipes, they added.
According to sources, the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board had laid pipelines along the Thapathi-Keelnattukurichi stretch to supply drinking water to Keelnattukurichi, Sakkilipatti, Kailasapuram and Ayan Rajapatti. However, during the re-laying of a 5-km stretch of the Thapathi–Keelnattukurichi road, an excavator damaged pipelines part of the Vallanadu combined drinking water scheme at two points between Keelnattukurichi and Sakkilipatti. The leakage began over ten days ago and have since remained unresolved, residents said.
Adding to residents’ woes, the panchayat has been unable to supply water through the Vaippar river scheme, as those same contract workers had also damaged another pipeline near the Ayyanar temple in Keelnattukurichi, sources said. Due to scarcity of water, villagers have resorted to collecting water from stagnant roadside pools formed by the leakage. Activists raised concerns over the health hazards of consuming such impure water.
“Even though the contractor had fixed the leaks, it continues to leak at one of the places,” said a resident requesting anonymity. Maheswari, a resident of Keelnattukurichi said, “The damages caused to the pipes have made us wander for potable water. We have to walk far to a remote place to collect water, without safety and security,” she said, also accusing the officials of dragging the road project.
Locals further alleged that the road contractor has not been promptly executing the project. “The contractor works for a few days and goes away. It is said he has taken on many other projects in Virudhunagar and he cannot focus simultaneously,” said a resident.
An official from the local administration confirmed that the contractor has been directed to fix all leaks before resuming road work and added that the repair works are in progress.