TN ready to handle water needs during summer: Nehru

TIRUCHY: The state is fully prepared to meet the drinking water requirements during the summer as a series of combined drinking water schemes were in finishing stages, said Local Administration Minister KN Nehru here on Monday.

The Minister after inaugurating a drinking water line at Woraiyur, told reporters that three combined drinking water schemes have been implemented in Tiruchy to cater to the needs of residents. “This apart, through an additional scheme, 50 MLD from the Cauvery and another 50 MLD from the Kollidam will be drawn to provide round-the-clock supply to residents in Tiruchy city, especially the extended areas of the Corporation,” he said.

Conveying that the state government has initiated various steps to meet the drinking water needs during the summer, the Minister said, a special scheme has been initiated for Chennai and people will get uninterrupted supply throughout the summer. Similarly, the Pillur scheme 3 would provide 178 MLD for Coimbatore and it would be launched on April 1. Similarly, a project to provide an additional 58 MLD to Salem has also reached the final stages and would be opened on April 1.

Special drinking water schemes for Virudhunagar, Sankarankovil and Nagercoil were also nearing completion and all these would ensure uninterrupted supply to the respective districts, he added.

Meanwhile, the Minister said that the works to lay pipes to supply drinking water and underground drainage connections were under way in Tiruchy and asked the people to bear with the temporary inconvenience.

Pointing out that the elevated highway works in Tiruchy have been put on hold as the Metro rail officials have sought to wait till their study gets over, the Minister said, “the state government is ready with the DPR and will release funds for the elevated highway works any time.”