Proximate sources the hope for water-starved Chennai

By Louis Menezes

It is the season for grandiose proposals to save water-starved Chennai. The Veeranam project is sought to be restructured for the ninth time. Retired engineers recommend the laying of a canal from Pallipalayam near Erode, on the Cauvery at a cost of Rs. 1,000 crores. A retired IAS officer strongly advocates laying of a canal from Hogenakkal. A satellite imagery expert has discovered the original course of the Cauvery as it was a thousand years ago, when it finally disgorged into the Pulicat Lake, 50 km north of Chennai.

Then, the most recent recommendations of a team of British consultants who spent the whole of the drought year 2000 in Chennai and whose report, for some reason, has not yet been made public by the Government of Tamil Nadu. They have concluded ``We believe that there is no technical reason why Chennai should not have a full 24-hour supply in all but years of the severest drought. We believe that there are sufficient resources in the Chennai region of Tamil Nadu to ensure that at current anticipated demand levels and with good management, the needs of Chennai for potable water as well as those of industry and of agriculture can all be met.''

They base their conclusions on the proven potential of the more dependable sources - expanded surface water use, major recycling of waste water, increased desalination of sea-water and recharging of aquifers during the rainy season.For too long have the citizens of Chennai been brainwashed into believing that there is no alternative to a single major project, a single riverine source. That such a project, from either the Cauvery or the Krishna, should have simply deteriorated into a political squabble which, after a quarter of a century and an expenditure of several thousand crores, has ended in a trickle, is another matter.

We just do not have Rs. 1000-1500 crores to spend on yet another water supply project. Every village and town anywhere near the route of the proposed Krishna canal will take its share of the water and so will the farmers.

Since 1960 we have systematically destroyed almost every single water body within the city and suburbs. The few remaining water bodies and wet land continue to be under daily assault and are seriously threatened. The vast Pallikaranai wet land, south of Velacheri, is the largest of them. The Madras Metropolitan Area Groundwater (Regulation) Act, 1987, considered pioneering legislation, has remained a dead letter for over 15 years, except for sudden spurts of action during droughts.

Metrowater has invested 700 crores in water supply infrastructure for Chennai Metro Area to handle 1,500 million litres per day when the average supply of Metrowater in 2000 was 450MLD and during 2001 averaged 200MLD so far.

There is no alternative to making a serious and concerted effort to exploit all proximate sources of water. Vast quantities of waste water can be recycled. The technology has been already tried in Chennai successfully. The process is financially viable. Water can be treated to drinking water specifications. If we are so sensitive to this prospect, recycled water can be sold to industry which is now using 30 per cent of CMWSSB's treated water.

Secondly, large desalination plants must be set up immediately. Whatever the cost of water per litre, it cannot be higher than what it costs Metrowater to supply water by tankers.Thirdly, a serious attempt has to be made to impound the flood waters of Arniar, Kortaliyur and other streams and store them underground.

Fourthly, a ban must be promulgated on the encroachment on or conversion of any waterbody with stringent punishment for violators.

Fifthly, our major aquifers (lifeline of the city during the present crisis) must be protected at all costs. Sixthly, the full potential of the Palar and the Arniar-Kortaliyur Basin to be explored. And lastly, Rain Water Harvesting, in any form, by every householder is simply responsible citizenship in action.

(The writer is Hony. Director, Centre for Urban Poverty Alleviation, Chennai)

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