TWAD Board increases water supply in southern suburbs

By S. Shanker

CHENNAI, NOV. 4. The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board has stepped up water supply to 180 lakh litres a day (LLD) in the southern suburbs following good inflow into the Cheyyar river after the recent rains.

In June, the beneficiaries were cautioned by the TWAD Board that it would not be able to pump in more than 100 LLD as the water table at the headworks was receding. Before this the Board was supplying 160 LLD.

The hired generators installed in July to tide over power interruptions were also removed last week. The rental cost of the `gensets' worked out to Rs.15 lakhs.

Sources said the two abandoned wells re-commissioned at Pazhayaseevaram augmented supply during summer. They were able to provide additional 10 LLD during the lean period and it proved vital during pumping operations, when supply fluctuated between 80 and 100 LLD.

Even with minimum flow into the Palar river, the ground water table at Vengudi has been recharged and the level in the eight infiltration wells has risen considerably.

In August, the TWAD officials suggested a Rs.48-lakh scheme for commissioning two wells at Thirumukoodal, a few km upstream of the headworks at Pazhayaseevaram.

The wells were expected to provide 18 to 20 LLD to the system and would be linked by a three km pipeline to the headworks.

The project cost was to be borne by the local bodies and apportioned among the beneficiaries in accordance with the quantum of water received by them. Sources said the connecting pipeline had to be laid across the river bed and was being delayed due to inflow in the river.

Proposals have also been drawn up for additional sources on the Palar river bed. A project for commissioning five infiltration wells at a cost of Rs.5.2 crores upstream of Pazhayaseevaram has been approved and is awaiting technical sanction.

Preliminary estimates indicate that the wells could yield about 5.2 million litres a day. The Alandur and Tambaram municipalities have declined to accept supply under the New Veeranam Scheme. The major beneficiaries, Alandur and Pallavaram, have been receiving about 60 LLD and 40 LLD in the last one week.

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Section  : Southern States
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