Now water to be brought from Vellore to Chennai for the Chennai residents
Posted on: 04/Jun/2019 10:04:16 AM
This summer in Chennai has grabbed many eyeballs because the city is experiencing one of the worst water crisis problems due to the failure of monsoons. Many efforts have been taken by the government to provide a solution. The latest news is the state government is trying to bring water from Vellore now by rail wagons.
It must not be forgotten that in the year 2001, Chennai city faced worst drought or water crisis and water was brought from Neyveli by trucks and from Erode by trains. Many discussions have been going on with the southern railways and government officials for bringing 25 MLD or million litres per day to Chennai city. It must be noted that this 25 MLD would be less than 5% of what metro water supplies now in Chennai.
It is shocking to mention here that all the 4 reservoirs that supplies drinking water to Chennai city residents have become very dry now and this has increased the woes of the residents. Treated water would be transported from Jolarpet in Vellore to Villivakkam in Chennai. It was pointed out by an official that Rs 154.3 crores would be the amount that would be needed towards hiring charges of wagons, pumping, treatment and distribution. Important point is as many as 50 wagons would be employed each carrying 50,000 litres of water per trip and there would be 10 trips in a day.
Presently in Chennai city, metro water claims to supply 525 MLD that is 300 MLD less than last summer’s supply and from the 3rd week of June metro water has decided to reduce the water supply to 500 MLD. It is revealed that this would be to maintain the quantum till November month if the situation does not get better after the setting of southwest monsoons. In the month of July in Koyambedu, state government would be launching its tertiary treatment RO plant. By this, 20 MLD of water would be supplied to the industries. The information is the ongoing drinking water supply of 20 MLD would be diverted to domestic supply.
It is worthy to note that Chennai city has been surviving on the 2 desalination plants in places like Nemmeli and Minjur. In addition to these water is got from the veeranam tank in Cuddalore. Not only that water is supplied from quarries in the suburbs, agriculture wells, ground water sources etc in the suburbs.
The important point to be noted is TWAD or Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board studied its water schemes in Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore. This was to divert the surplus water to the Chennai city. The TWAD identified the Vellore scheme, launched in 2015 for catering the local corporation, to have a surplus of about 30 MLD.
