Approaching ‘dry days’ turn heat on MP, MLAs in campaign trail

Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Vellore and Dharmapuri are the districts where the voters are currently facing water shortage. The sitting AIADMK MLAs are facing the public ire and the AIADMK Tirutani MLA Narasimhan was the latest to face the music when he accompanied Tiruvallur MP candidate P Venugopal during the campaigning.

The villagers of Pallipattu denied entry for the AIADMK MP and MLA. “Provide us drinking water and then campaign,” Pallipattu villagers said forcing the AIADMK workers to divert their campaign trail.

“Due to over exploitation of ground water by private tankers, the water supply to irrigation and drinking purpose is hit during this summer and water shortage is surging on a weekly basis,” said R Kumar, a farmer, who also owns a dairy unit in Tiruvallur town.

“North Chennai is reeling under water crisis. When my party top brass wanted to hear from me about the choice of contesting North Chennai Lok Sabha seat or to fight in vacant Perambur Assembly constituency. I chose to contest in Perambur as there are acute water shortage problem in Royapuram and Thiruvottriyur Assembly seats coming under North Chennai LS seat,” explained AMMK strongman P Vettrivel, who is seeking re-election from Perambur.

“I am attending to the civic issues through my resources to help the residents,” he added.

The situation is such that the residents of T Nagar Welfare Association had also put up “no water no vote” boards in front of their apartments in Motilal and Mahalakshmi streets.

“Water shortage is becoming a serious issue and this reflects during our campaign. We are doing our best to help the public in Saidapet and Sholinganallur, but the state has to ensure that there is no drinking water shortage during this summer,” said former Chennai mayor and Saidapet MLA M Subramanian. One of the predominant poll promise by the DMK South Chennai candidate Thamilachi Thangapandian is to address the drinking water shortage in tail end areas, Subramanian said.

Understanding that they are in deep crisis, the Chennai Metro Water had also improved its service by drawing hard water from Sikkarayapuram quarries, but the enhanced supply during polls is no match to meet the growing demand.

“The residents of Gandhi Nagar faced water shortage till last month, but ever since the polls were announced the water supply through pipes have improved. The situation is better now, but I suspect that the supply may dwindle after the polling date falling on April 18,” said S Shehkar, a resident of Gandhi Nagar.