AIADMK MLAs petition to solve water shortage

COIMBATORE: AIADMK MLAs led by ex-minister SP Velumani on Monday sought the intervention of Coimbatore Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati to resolve water issues in the district.

Speaking to reporters, after submitting a petition to the Collector, Velumani urged the administration to take up efforts on war footing to address the issue of water shortage prevailing in the corporation, municipality, town panchayat and village panchayats across the district.

“Water is supplied only once in a month in corporation extended areas and once in 20 days in rural areas. Therefore, arrangements should be done to supply water through tanker lorries in areas facing water shortage. In several areas, people are forced to buy water to meet their routine requirements,” he said.

Velumani was accompanied by MLAs Pollachi V Jayaraman, Amman K Arjunan, PRG Arun Kumar, AK Selvaraj and Amul Kandasamy.

“Water issues exist in all the 10 Assembly constituencies in Coimbatore. Due to a failed monsoon, dams, lakes and ponds have become dry. As water storage position has become depleted in Pillur, Siruvani and Aliyar dams that serve as a main source of drinking water, these reservoirs should be desilted to store more water during rains,” he said.

Further, the AIADMK MLAs urged the district administration to grant its permission to establish around 25 deep bore wells in panchayats under Kinathukadavu Assembly constituency facing severe water shortage.

“Considering the welfare of people in Coimbatore, priority should be given for water management issues. The Athikadavu-Avinashi scheme should be implemented soon and some left out areas should be included under the second phase of this project,” Velumani added.