'Acute water scarcity unlikely in Alandur'

By T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI, MARCH 5. About 75 years ago, Alandur had only one major water source.

That was a 60-ft-deep open well, dug thanks to the initiative shown by Shower, a Briton, who worked as the Executive Officer, when Alandur was part of the Cantonment area.

This well is still serviceable and people draw water from it. Adjacent to this well has come up the massive pumphouse, which was inaugurated today.

Recalling those bitter days, Mr. R. S. Bharathi, Chairman of the Alandur Municipality and a long-time resident, says ``women used to stand in serpentine queues even at odd hours to draw water from this well''. As a show of their loyalty, the residents named the well after the Briton.

In 1970, the Alandur-Pallavaram water scheme, using the river Palar, was started. Originally, the project was to cover only Pallavaram. ``It was at the suggestion of the late M. G. Ramachandran, who was the then MLA of this constituency, that the Chief Minister Mr. M. Karunanidhi, included Alandur in the scheme'', Mr. Bharathi recounts.

The Palar water supply scheme was posing enormous practical difficulties. Frequent disruptions in power supply or bursting of water pipes characterised the supply situation for Alandur Municipality. Moreover, Palar water was being conveyed through a pipeline, running through a distance of 47 km.

``Now onwards, water will be flowing directly into the Alandur pumping station without interruption'', Mr. Bharathi expresses the hope, adding that there will be no ``acute water scarcity'' in the area.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Corpn. budget tabled amidst high drama
Next     : Students stage demonstration