Nemmili desal plant to add 150 MLD to city water supply in 2 yrs: Velumani

“After selecting the bidder through tendering process, we have issued a work order for the 150 MLD desalination plant at Nemmeli. In a week’s time, the Chief Minister will lay the foundation stone for the project. The works will be completed in two years,” he told reporters here.

He recalled that late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had made an announcement in the State Assembly in 2014 to set up two desalination plants, one at Nemmeli with a capacity of 150 MLD and the other at Perur that would supply 400 MLD, to meet the drinking water requirements of Chennai and its suburbs.

“Two desalination projects require huge funds. Amma herself took it up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi thrice over the need for funds for the project. After Edappadi Palaniswami became the Chief Minister, the government followed it up with the Centre and obtained the funds,” he said.

As for the 400 MLD project at Perur, he said that the Centre has cleared the project and it would be taken up subsequently. “After the commissioning of the two desalination plants, Chennai and its suburbs will not face the drinking water shortage,” he said.

He also inaugurated the treatment plant to treat the water sourced from Sengaluneer hills quarry to meet the drinking water requirement of Pammal and Anagaputhur municipalities. The Minister said that through the Sengaluneer quarry project, the water supply to Pammal Municipality would be enhanced to 4.28 MLD from 3.20 MLD, while the supply in Anagaputhur would go up to 3.76 MLD from 2.40 MLD.

Velumani also said that Chitlapakkam and Madampakkam town panchayats would also get enhanced water supply through Rs 3 crore drinking water project. “Through the Madampakkam lake drinking water project, the town panchayat would get 4 lakh litres of water while the Chittalapakkam get 16 lakh litres of water. A total of 28,700 people would be benefited by the project,” he said.