Water conservation dept. to be formed, says Jayalalithaa

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUG. 15. The Government has decided to create a Water Resources Conservation Department, the Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, announced in her Independence Day address here today.

The department would ensure adequate supply of water to people by developing and conserving the resources. The water crisis was created by a shortfall in rain and by wastage. There was a shortage for both irrigation and drinking purposes, she said.

Importance would also be given to rain water harvesting. Lakes and temple tanks would be retrieved by removing encroachments.

The New Veeranam Scheme would be completed to solve the drinking water crisis in Chennai without affecting farmers in the Veeranam area. A reservoir would be created at the mouth of the Palar near Kalpakkam at a cost of Rs.500 crores. Of the 100 borewells ordered by the Government to be sunk in Chennai for water supply for purposes other than for drinking, 37 were completed and the remaining 63 would be completed by August 25. Efforts would also be taken to solve the drinking water crisis in Dharmapuri and Ramanathapuram districts.

Free gas connections

The Government would give free cooking gas connections to newly- married couples below the poverty line. This was to ensure that cooking gas connections no longer remained the privilege of the well-to-do sections.

The Government would constitute a committee to suggest improvements to the functioning of government hospitals and to make them comparable to the private hospitals in terms of facilities on offer.

The advisory committee would identify the shortcomings in service.

District-level officers, MLAs and representatives of voluntary organisations would be its members.

As part of prioritising environmental issues, the District Collectors were asked to prepare an Enviro-Vision 2005 plan.

Noting the rise in accident rates on highways, Ms. Jayalalithaa said accident relief centres would be set up there to provide medical help to victims.

The 15-point programme devised for the welfare of women and children would be revived as an 18-point scheme.

Ms. Jayalalithaa presented cash grants totalling of Rs.17.50 lakhs, in lieu of land to gallantry award winners from Tamil Nadu, to 32 persons. She also distributed sweets to handicapped persons.

Governor hosts reception

In the evening, the Governor, Dr. C. Rangarajan, hosted a party at the Raj Bhavan. The Chief Minister, her Cabinet colleagues, the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Mr. N.K. Jain, defence services officers, consular representatives, top bureaucrats and police officers, besides prominent personalities in the City attended the Independence Day reception.

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