Massive scheme to augment city water supply: Minister

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, SEPT. 5. The Government would seek assistance from international agencies for a massive scheme to augment water supply to Chennai. Stating this in the Assembly today, the Local Administration Minister, Mr. C. Durairaj said the main objective of the scheme was to eliminate the situation of ``women having have to run around carrying pots in search of water''.

Besides the Rs. 720-crore New Veeranam Project to bring water to Chennai from the Veeranam lake, the Government wanted to stop the flow of excess rain water from Kortalaiyar, Cooum, Adyar and Palar rivers, by constructing check dams, reservoirs and percolation tanks. Under the Second Chennai Water supply project, the storage capacity of Red Hills, Madhavaram, Korattur, Ambattur, Eratteri tanks would be increased.

There were proposals to construct new reservoirs and bring Cauvery water through pipelines to Chennai. Besides, a variety of rain-water harvesting schemes would be implemented, the Minister said.

Explaining the various steps taken to get over Chennai's severe drought, the Minister said that scarcity had also affected industries that needed water. Hence, the Chief Minister had ordered the evolving of a scheme to treat waste water and supply to the industrial units. The tertiary treatment plants with reverse osmosis process of 50 million litres a day capacity would be set up to treat the secondary treated sewage and make the same available for being reused in these industries. More desalination plants were also proposed in the city.

About 2000 more water tanks would be put up in colonies citywide. More private wells were being identified in the suburban areas for sourcing drinking water, the Minister added.

The groundwater potential in Araniar-Kortaliyar river basin would be assessed by a detailed study.

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