Tirunelveli Corporation takes various measures ahead of summer to ensure effective drinking water supply

TIRUNELVELI

The Corporation has started taking various measures to mitigate an anticipated drinking water crisis during ensuing summer by streamlining the existing distribution system to avoid wastage through breaches.

 Since the main pipes carrying drinking water from Suththamalli Pumping Station to Melapalayam and Palayamkottai extension areas are decades-old and no proper step was taken in the past to replace these pipes, breaches in this section has become a routine affair. Consequently, complaints from residents in peripheral areas of short-supply of drinking water have been flooding the Corporation’s grievances redressal meet held every Tuesday.

 Now, the Corporation has identified the vulnerable points where the breach occurs quite frequently and started replacing the pipes in these points after allocating ₹1 crore for this work.

 “Moreover, another ₹8.30 crore has been allotted for replacing the old main pipes to supply drinking water from the Suththamalli Pumping Station to the extension areas of Palayamkottai. As a temporary measure, the Corporation is supplying drinking water to the residents in tankers,” said Corporation Commissioner V. Sivakrishnamurthy.

 As a permanent solution, steps are being taken to take the water from Ariyanayagipuram Drinking Water Scheme to overhead tanks in Teachers Colony, Thamizh Nagar, Mahizhchi Nagar, NGO ‘B’ Colony, Ezhil Nagar, Thirumal Nagar, Perumalpuram ‘C’ Colony, Kumaresan Colony, Canara Bank Colony, Thiyagaraja Nagar, LKS Nagar and Anbu Nagar.

 “We’ve planned to take water from the Ariyanayagipuram Drinking Water Scheme (50 million litres per day) to the sump and the overhead tank in Xavier Colony. Then this water will be pumped to the sumps in Teachers’ Colony and Mahizhchi Nagar from where the water will be supplied to the remaining overhead tanks in these places. If needed, a few more small overhead tanks will also be constructed,” Mr. Sivakrishnamurhy said.

 The Corporation is now facing a major hurdle in drawing water from the Ariyanayagipuram Drinking Water Scheme to these areas in peripheral wards, which are not part of the original scheme. After taking this issue with Chief Engineer, TWAD Board, the government has agreed to release another ₹4 crore for including a few more wards in peripheral areas.