CHENNAI:
Metrowater
officials said they were unable to meet the demand of residential colonies as their priority is to supply free water to the slums.
“There are about 13,500 bookings made on the app every day. We are able to cater to 7,000 of them. The remaining have to wait as we have to supply water to the slums regularly,” said a Metrowater official.
However, residents of the slums claimed they had to bribe local politicians and lorry drivers for water. “The rates differ from Rs 1 to Rs 5 for every pot of water. And the Metrowater lorry supply was not at all sufficient. We travel at least 15km-20km every day with five to six pots,” said Imran R, a resident of Parrys.
Meanwhile, the waiting period for Metrowater’s dial-for-water scheme has gone beyond one month, said as B Kannan, a resident of Gokulam flats in T Nagar. “I had booked for a Metrowater lorry 32 days ago. I am yet to get the water supply. We started purchasing private lorry for Rs 2,200 every day, now the rate has gone upto Rs 4,500,” he said. He added that they received piped water a month ago.
Even in Mandaveli, the waiting period for lorries has increased to 35 days. “We have to depend on borewell and have recently set up
rainwater harvesting
system. We are facing a huge shortage because of delay in Metrowater supply,” said Rama Krishnamurthy, a resident of Mandaveli.
V Rama Rao of People’s Awareness Association in Nanganallaur said Metrowater was finding reasons to not supply to residents. “Why should we pay water tax when there is no supply,” he asked.
Metrowater officials said they had no other choice as underprivileged people were their priority and said with more rains predicted, they are hopeful that borewell levels will go up in the coming weeks.