The Hindu : Are filling stations slum dwellers' oasis?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 30, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Are filling stations slum dwellers' oasis?

By Karthik Subramanian

CHENNAI MAY 29. For just a pot of water, slum dwellers from various parts of the city are risking their lives throwing themselves at water tanker lorries arriving at Metrowater filling stations almost every day.

The scenes at Valluvar Kottam, Velachery and K.K.Nagar filling points of the Metrowater bear testimony to the growing demand for water, as more and more areas suffer due to lack of pressure and untimely arrival of tankers. Even while the mercury remains above the 40 degrees Celsius mark, residents from slum areas who simply cannot afford to purchase water turn up at the filling point as a last hope.

The situation is particularly bad at the Valluvar Kottam filling point, situated in one of the most traffic-hit junctions of the city.

Most of the slum dwellers who arrive from places like M.K. Radha Nagar, S.S. Puram, Vaikunta Puram and Makis Garden have transformed Prakasam Road adjoining the Valluvar Kottam filling point literally into a makeshift bathroom, as they wash clothes and even bathe on the road side. The two fountain taps provided outside the filling point are not adequate for the crowds and they often hustle into filling station despite the pleas of the police and the Metrowater officials not to run behind the tankers.

The situation has also proved an opportunity for many to earn as fast buck. Several persons plying fish carts fetch several pots of water, only to sell them to the needy at rates ranging from Rs.two to Rs.five.

For the tanker owners, who are on contract with Metrowater, the situation is dicey as they are often reminded of the severe drought of 2001. Then the daily supply fell to around 115 million litres a day and the entire supply were being carried out by tankers. Then the water tankers were involved in 30 fatal accidents and 17 accidents resulting in grievous injuries.

Though the situation has not worsened to alarming proportions due to the alternate day supply, tanker drivers fear that if more police are not posted at the filling points to regulate the crowds the risk of accidents will grow.

The service lane for the Valluvar Kottam filling point has already deteriorated, wearing a look similar to the summer of 2001 when there was a public outcry over the damaged roads. The situation is ditto at Velachery By Pass Road, where the frequent tanker trips from the Metrowater filling point have ripped up the roads.

With the members of public taking trips to the filling point even beyond midnight, the local residents are amazed at the poor civic conditions in the junction. It may be recalled that the Chennai Corporation had given an assurance more than a year ago to concretise the roads in the junction.

Meanwhile, Metrowater officials have said currently there were operating 2,500 lorry trips through 250 tankers. This is likely to be stepped up to 400 tankers in the next few days. The alternate day supply had fallen marginally to 250 million litres.

With the government planning to fetch water from Poonamallee and adjoining areas at the rate of 2.5 MLD, the number of water tankers zipping across the city roads is bound to double in the days to come. It remains to be seen if the summer of 2003 continues to be safe for road users and the slum dwellers chasing the water tankers.

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