KRISHNAGIRI: Special teams were constituted to take action against illegal water tapping in Krishnagiri district across 10 blocks and works worth Rs 12.58 crore were initiated to solve the water crisis in the district.
Krishnagiri Collector C Dinesh Kumar told TNIE, " Krishnagiri is among the 12 districts severely affected by El Nino in Tamil Nadu. We are taking efforts to reduce water shortage and taking steps to provide necessary drinking water to the people. Special teams were formed last month to take action against illegal water tapping. Teams led by two assistant directors (panchayat) are checking and disconnecting illegal water connections in 333 village panchayats in the district. Apart from this, urban local bodies are also checking for violations. Similarly, teams led by TWAD Board executive engineers are checking and rectifying the issues in the Hogenakkal drinking water project."
He further pointed out, "Since last month, over 240 illegal water connections were identified and disconnected in village panchayats across 10 blocks. Apart from this, TWAD teams disconnected illegal connections in around 20 places in the district. People should use water judiciously and should not create law and order issues by illegally tapping water connections."
"A total of 321 water-related works such as sinking new borewells, deepening existing open wells and others are under process at the cost of Rs 12.58 crore across the blocks. We are also supplying water through tractors in villages as a temporary measure and taking efforts to solve the issues in tribal and rural areas," Dinesh Kumar said.
A rural development department official added that, "Only last month, two groups of people were involved in a scuffle due to an illegal water connection, one group damaged a water pipeline. Thus people should not involve in any such violations. A total of nine illegal water connections were removed near Bettamugilalam village in tribal panchayat of Kelamangalam block. Moreover, near Uthangarai, after disconnecting illegal water connections people staged a road roko. The district administration is taking efforts to reduce water scarcity and people should cooperate with the rural development department."
He added that, "People can register water-related complaints in the PUNAL application and contact toll free number 1916 to register their complaints. Also the collector is conducting a meeting every Monday regarding water issues in the district with the concerned department officials."
