'Amma drinking water scheme needs introspection'

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) spends Rs 5 crore annually on 53 Amma drinking water treatment plants in the city.

As the water stations are more beneficial for commercial use, and not set up where the poor people live, it should be shifted, stated K Dhanasekaran, Head of accounts committee during the council meeting held at Ripon Building on Wednesday.

"The taxpayer's money is being wasted through the Amma drinking water scheme, which was implemented during the AIADMK regime. The drinking water should be provided to the poor people in the city, instead the traders are using the water from the Amma treatment plant for commercial purposes. The city corporation has failed to monitor it. As many as 53 Amma drinking water treatment plants have been set up in Chennai, and at least Rs 5 crore is spent by the city corporation, " said Dhanasekaran.

The councilor urged the civic body authorities to inspect the plant and illegal traders should be banned from using them.

A study should be conducted to see if the plants located in an easily accessible place for the poor people. The treatment plant, which is not used, should be relocated, or it can be closed.

It is noteworthy that under the Amma drinking water scheme, treatment plants have been created in Chennai for the needy families with a capacity of 20 litres per day.

Similarly, during the council meeting held in November, the head of accounts committee pointed out that the GCC incurred Rs 786 crore loss in Amma Unavagam in the city in the past 9 years.

The canteen's per day profit is Rs 500, which causes a huge loss for the city corporation, and it should be closed.

Meanwhile, Sri Ramachandra hospital has yet to pay property tax of Rs 7 crore since 2016. Even after the Madras high court judgment, it remains unpaid. "A special legal committee should be formed to deal with the cases of non-payment of tax due to the reason of the case and steps should be taken to complete it expeditiously, " added Dhanasekaran while referring about the property tax issues.