Maintaining sufficient water supply in Chennai, say Ministers

Addressing reporters, Jayakumar said, “More than 300 lorries are involved in 9,000 trips per day to supply water across the city and there is a long queue even in the filling stations. Government is trying its best to cover the entire city population in supplying drinking water to them even if there is a delay of few hours.” 

When asked about the government steps taken to prevent illegal water extraction from farm lands near Chennai, Jayakumar replied that extracting water from farm lands is illegal and if they are found out government will initiate appropriate action, according to the existing laws. 

When asked about MLAs of opposition parties supplying water in their own constituencies, he replied that supplying water is good for the people, but they are doing on a smaller scale but the government is supplying water for more than 60 lakh people in the city. 

When asked why the state government is silent on Karnataka government not letting Cauvery water even after the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has directed the neighbouring state to release water, he replied that the government is confident that Karnataka will release the water and if the neighbouring state refuses to do so, it will appeal in the CWMA.

Meanwhile, Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani, on Friday, said that in 2017 when there was drought only 475 million litres per day (MLD) was supplied to Chennai, but now even though a similar situation prevails in the city, 575 MLD of water is being supplied on a daily basis.