City may not get any more water from depleting Veeranam lake

PWD sources said that the Veeranam lake was supplying 180 MLD a day to city. The lake, whose maximum capacity is 47.50 feet, had 43.50 feet after it received the Cauvery water and monsoon rains. But now, the level has dipped to 39 feet. 

“A few weeks ago, around 76 cusecs was being released to Chennai. In the subsequent days, we scaled it down to 27 cusecs and then to 17 cusecs. However, on Friday, only 14 cusecs was discharged to the city. We also have to ensure supply of drinking water across Cuddalore district. With the storage dwindling fast, we may be forced to suspend the release to Chennai in the next few days,” said a PWD official from Cuddalore.

The Poondi reservoir has received 1.7 tmc from Kandaleru reservoir against the quantum of 2.5 tmc assured by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu during a meeting with former  Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam. PWD officials said, “The flow is steady in Kandaleru-Poondi canal. The zero point near Uthukottai is receiving 450 cusecs. At this rate, we can get the remaining 0.8 tmc in the next few days after which the AP government will stop releasing Krishna water.” Despite the depleting storage in Veeranam lake, the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board officials maintained that there would be no interruption in the water supply in the city. “We are monitoring the situation. As of now, there is no need for panic,” was a terse reply from an official.