Tamil Nadu - Ramanathapuram   

Delay in completion of drinking water scheme

RAMANATHAPURAM: The completion of much expected Ramanathapuram Combined Drinking Water Supply Scheme, being executed at a cost of Rs.616 crore, has delayed a bit due to flooding in several parts of the district.

Though the project has to be completed in March 2010 in the normal circumstances, it was decided to complete it by March 2009.

Thanks to the rapid progress of the work, the schedule of completion was again changed and the Local Administration Minister M.K.Stalin directed the officials to complete it within first two weeks of January 2009.

He even announced at a public function held here recently that the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi would inaugurate the drinking water project on Pongal day.

According to the project, the scheme would provide drinking water to five municipalities, 11 town panchayats and 3,163 rural habitations in Pudukottai, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram districts. Four collector wells were being established on the Cauvery riverbed at Kadiyakurichi and Mutharasanallur and the scheme would pump about 100 million litres a day. Pumping mains would have to be laid for a distance of 749.21 km up to Ramanathapuram.

Though the execution of works such as laying main pipelines, water head tanks, sumps, anti-corrosion treatment to the pipes and others were going at a great pace, the heavy rain poured in November and December months put a temporary break to the implementation of drinking water project works.

“The rain has badly affected the ongoing drinking water works at many places. Several areas, where pipes laying works had to be undertaken, were flooded. It actually delayed the work a little bit,” Swaran Singh, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Water Drainage Board, told The Hindu on Monday over phone.

He said so far 93 per cent of works had already been completed. Officials and ground staff had been asked to expedite the work with new vigour.

Mr. Singh added that he would make a visit to Ramanathapuram soon to assess and study the works. The present aim was not only to speed up the works but also to start a trial run of the supply of drinking from Tiruchi district.

He would fix a tentative date for the trial run after visiting the project sites.

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Delay in completion of drinking water scheme

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