Chennai’s southern neighbourhoods reel under drinking water crisis

CHENNAI:

Nanganallur

and

Alandur

under the Chennai corporation and other southern municipalities are facing a severe shortage of drinking water. In some areas, a pot of water is being sold for Rs 10 to Rs 12. Pallavaram, Zamin

Pallavaram

and Chromepet are among the areas facing

water shortage

. In Alandur, drinking water is supplied only once in three days due to faulty pipelines, residents allege. They feel that the crisis has worsened as the civic bodies have not done enough to protect

water bodies

in the region.

Ramakrishna Konduru, a resident of Chitlapakkam, said, “As of now we using motors to the minimum. Given the present situation, we could be forced to drill a

bore well

again. Some of the residents are forced to buy packaged drinking water’’.

M Ravi, secretary of the Sarvamangala Nagar residents association in Chitlapakkam, said “

Metro water

supplies of tanker water only now and then to many parts of the suburbs including Chitlapakkam. This situation would not have come up had the state government and civic authorities stopped encroachments and dumping of garbage into the many water bodies including the Sembakkam lake, which used to be a major source of drinking water for the residents. Even now the situation can be changed if there is a concerted effort to rejuvenate water bodies which could provide drinking water.”

In Pallavaram, residents get water from Palar only once or twice a week. They are solely dependent on water tankers which are expensive. “Not everyone can afford tanker water, which costs up to Rs 3,000 a load. The Metro water should ensure that there is regular supply. Water tankers draw water from agricultural land beyond Tambaram and are now selling it for Rs 10 a pot. People are desperate so, they buy it,” a resident said.

Residents in the areas affected by water shortage have formed a new organisation called Chennai Water Bodies and Waterways Rejuvenation Forum, which was initiated to solve water related issues. V Rama Rao, a functionary of the forum, said there has to be a concerted effort on part of the civic bodies in helping the residents over some the water crisis.