Focus on water issue in Tambaram

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, OCT. 17. Rains upstream of the Palar river have provided adequate recharge and the river water supply for the water- starved Tambaram town has improved during the past couple of weeks. But, for candidates contesting the local body polls, the issue remains the focal point of their campaign.

Official sources say that during the past two weeks, the supply had crossed 30 lakh litres a day. It had resulted in most areas receiving water at least once in three days, compared to only once in 15 days a few months ago. There are 6,350 domestic connections. A Rs.20-crore plan has been formulated for additional supply and more number of domestic connections.

The main contenders for the chairman post are Mr. S. R. Raja of the DMK and Mr. V. Muthu, the Opposition AIADMK leader of the municipal council. Both speak of improving the water supply system with additional wells near Cheyyar.

Mr. Raja, who is also the present municipal chairman, assuring enhanced water supply through the Cheyyar proposal, says credit for formulating development schemes for the town, such as a sewer system for Rs.53 crores, overbridge across the railway gate connecting West and East Tambaram and a 13-acre bus stand at Tambaram Sanatorium should go to the DMK-led council. During the last five years almost all roads in the town had been paved and over 300 concrete roads laid in interior areas including in the slums. Three water tanks at a cost of Rs.1.82 crores were constructed.

The AIADMK questions the reason for the delay in formulating the projects spoken of by the municipal chairman. The Cheyyar proposal had come about only after the AIADMk assumed office at Fort St.George and local residents were aware of the relative advantages of electing an AIADMK council, says Mr. V. Muthu.

Stating that very little was achieved during the last five years, he says the garbage yard at Kannadapalayam could have been developed into a compost yard. Water supply should be improved and the distribution network bifurcated for the benefit of those in the town's eastern side.

The Kancheepuram District Exnora president, Mr.P. Ganesh, said the municipality had not been able to monitor the quality of roads, despite the expensive paving operation. The roads had lasted two years only due to failure of the monsoon. Recent rains had exposed the quality of work carried out and many roads including the Gandhi Road had full of potholes. Though garbage collection had improved in the West, after night clearance was introduced recently, overall conservancy operation looked far from satisfactory.

The local body had done a little to safeguard the Chitlapakkam and Irumbuliyur lakes. Mr. Ganesh said Exnora had taken up the issue of desilting the lakes and strengthening their bunds with the Collectorate.

There are eight candidates for the chairman post, including aspirants from the MDMK and the Congress, and over 239 for the 39 wards for the town, which has an electorate of 1.27 lakhs.

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