Officials to press for Krishna water release

By T. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI, JUNE 25. A high-level team of officers from Tamil Nadu, led by the Chief Secretary, Mr. P. Shankar, will meet Andhra Pradesh authorities in Hyderabad on Tuesday to press for resumption of Krishna water release at the earliest.

The team comprises the Secretaries of the Public Works and Municipal Administration (MAS) and Water Supply departments.

The visit follows a telephonic conversation the Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, had with her counterpart, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, last Friday and her request to resume supply from July 1.

Notwithstanding his assurance, the indications are that under the given situation, Chennai may not get Krishna water in the next few weeks. Even if it does, the amount will be very meagre.

The reason is the low storage in the Kandaleru reservoir, terminal storage point in Andhra Pradesh, from where water flows to Chennai through the 152-km-long Kandaleru-Poondi canal. The storage now is said to be less than six tmcft. Sources say the storage should be 6.5 tmcft to effect a minimum discharge of 200 cusecs.

It is to improve the rate of realisation, Andhra Pradesh is keen on undertaking repair works in vulnerable stretches of the canal. This was another reason for stopping the supply of Krishna water last month, officials explain.

Water from Mettur

Meanwhile, the first consignment of Cauvery water from Mettur by rail is expected to reach the city in 10 days. ``As civil works for loading of water at Mettur are to be carried out, we expect that the works will be completed by the first week of July,'' sources say.

At present, around 2.8 MLD (million litres a day) is transported through lorries from Neyveli, besides 1.5 MLD from Erode by rail. An average of 185 lorries make daily trips and this is to be increased in due course of time. The cost per trip is likely to be Rs. 4,000.

Meanwhile, the Local Administration Minister, Mr. C. Durairaj, the MAS Secretary, Mrs. Santha Sheela Nair, and the Metrowater Managing Director, Dr. Niranjan Mardi, met the Railway Minister, Mr. Nitish Kumar, who was in the city today, and appealed to him for cooperation from the Railways in transporting water. The Minister assured them of all possible help.

Even as the Metrowater is making frantic efforts to match dwindling supplies with growing demand, residents from more areas in and around the city complain of water shortage.

Apart from complaints of ``zero-pressure'' in many areas, the residents have been complaining about contaminated supplies in some areas such as Kumaran Colony in Vadapalani.

Some residents also complain that charges are being levied by those operating Metrowater tankers in many areas. While in areas such as Ashok Nagar, it is as little as 2 paise per pot of drinking water, in suburbs such as Korattur, some residents say the charges are ``as high as'' Rs. two per pot.

In Pallavaram, Ward four residents blocked traffic on the GST Road, demanding water. When they refused to disperse on assurances, police reportedly summoned a couple of water tankers passing by and diverted them to the ward.

Some parts of the city today again witnessed isolated protests for water. In some places in Perambur, Aminjikkarai and Tondiarpet, residents blocked roads, demanding water. Police described the incidents as ``minor.''

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Section  : Southern States
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