Date:30/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/30/stories/2008123053290400.htm

Tamil Nadu

Selaiyur residents allege drinking water contamination

K. Manikandan

Palar drinking water they received was polluted

— Photo: A.MURALITHARAN

The pumped-out Palar drinking water in Rajeswari Nagar, Selaiyur, recently.

TAMBARAM: The supply of Palar drinking water, allegedly contaminated by mixing of sewage, has affected several dozen families in East Tambaram.

Residents living in a few streets of Rajeswari Nagar and Rajeswari Nagar (Extension) in Selaiyur coming under Tambaram Municipality told The Hindu that the water they had stored in huge vessels and underground sumps was dark grey in colour and had a pungent, foul smell.

Residents said that they received Palar water only once in 10 days or a fortnight. Whatever little quantity of Palar drinking water they received on Tuesday and Wednesday this week was contaminated. Complaints to the Tambaram Municipality did not evoke any positive response, they said.

It is a common practice for the residents to turn on the taps round the clock so that sumps get full whenever water is supplied. P. Kumar, a resident of Fourth Cross Street, Rajeswari Nagar, said that the residents were shocked to notice sumps filled with foul-smelling water.

Enquiries revealed that a portion of the street was dug up and this resulted in sewage flowing in the open to get contaminated with the drinking water supplied to the residents of Rajeswari Nagar.

The problem was restricted to Rajeswari Nagar (that comes under Ward No. 19 of the municipality) but also in neighbouring Eswari Nagar of Ward No. 18.

Councillors attributed the problem to discharge of sewage in the open from huge apartment complexes and commercial establishments and moreover, most localities lacked proper drainage facilities.