COIMBATORE: This is one situation where precious resource is going down the drain, literally. An unattended leakage in a drinking water line on Trichy Road near Ondipudur flyover for more than a month now is a cause for concern. The non-stop flow of water from the damaged pipeline has converted the area into a slushy stretch causing inconvenience to the shopkeepers and residents in Ondipudur.

Says S. Palaniswamy of Sri Ponmagal Textiles: " Since water supply here is only on every alternate day, residents started collecting water from the leakage in huge containers for drinking purpose and some even washed clothes forming the entire area a mess. Since the leakage is right in front of our shop, it is causing inconvenience to our customers." Now, the pipeline area is filled with a mixture of gravel, coarse sand and pebbles to avoid misuse.

Water supply

He says though the officials concerned had been approached for a solution, nothing has been done yet. "They told us since there are many leakages in the pipeline, water supply to the entire area had to be shut down to carry out repair work," says S. Shanmughasundar of Selvasundaram Watch Works.

Lukewarm response

P.K.G. Menon, a resident of a housing complex, says that apart from the lukewarm response of the officials, the disturbing factor is the attitude of the public towards conserving natural resources. "Having spent most of my life in Chennai, I used to pay Rs.5 to get one pot of borewell water. Many public taps in the area are left open for hours together. People should actively involve in finding a solution to this leakage," he adds.

Plugging the leakage

Residents in the area allege that officials had claimed that the Model Code of Conduct (during elections) and the Assembly session were reasons for the delay in plugging the leakage. But, they wonder whether these apply to even a minor repair work.

Officials say that to arrest wastage of 100 or 50 lpm (leakage per minute), the supply of 90,000 lpm has to be stopped for a day. This would in turn affect the water supply to more than 300 villages in the area. TWAD officials say that improvement works would be taken up to replace the weak pipes and to arrest all leakages shortly.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail