Heatwave: CM Stalin directs officials to take immediate measures to address drinking water scarcity

CHENNAI: Taking note of the scorching summer and relentless heatwave that are threatening to hit the drinking water supply, Chief Minister MK Stalin convened a review meeting with senior ministers and officials, and instructed all departments concerned to ensure that the public are not affected by water shortage in the coming two months.

Local Administration Minister KN Nehru, Revenue Minister I Periyasamy, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena and senior officials from various departments were present during the meeting.

Chief Secretary Meena and secretaries of other departments apprised the Chief Minister about the present situation in various parts of the State.

Briefing the media about the meeting, Stalin noted that summer brings about two main challenges to the administration, managing the effect of high temperature and increasing demand for drinking water.

During the 2023 northeast monsoon, although the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu received heavy rainfall and floods, other parts of the State, especially the catchment areas in western districts, received much less rainfall.

Now, the Indian Meteorological Department has issued a forecast that the rainfall may be less than expected in the first month or two during the southwest monsoon this year. "Hence, we are in a difficult situation where we have to use the water in the dams judiciously so that we can meet the drinking water requirement for the next two months," Stalin said.

To manage the situation, the Chief Minister directed officials to inspect all areas that are facing drinking water supply issues and find solutions to address the problem immediately.

As many as 22 districts in Tamil Nadu have already been declared drought-stressed and Rs 150 crore has been allotted from the State Disaster Relief Fund for water supply works, Stalin said, and added that the Commissioner of Revenue Administration was directed to allocate the fund to the districts as per requirements and take up efforts to ensure distribution of drinking water through various means, including using tankers.

The Municipal Administration Department and Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board should continue to monitor the operation of the integrated drinking water schemes and maintain them without any disruption.

Municipal Commissioners and other local body officials should meet the people in person and solve the issues immediately as and when there are drinking water problems, he said.

As consistent, uninterrupted power supply is essential for the uninterrupted operation of integrated water supply schemes and water distribution stations, the State Electricity Department was told to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity for such projects.

Senior officials should regularly visit the districts to inspect the drinking water supply works and give appropriate instructions about the works to be carried out in the areas where there is a shortage.

"As our State is facing such a situation of water scarcity, the officials from all departments should coordinate and work well to ensure that the people are not affected by this scarcity in any way in the next two months," Stalin said.