Ruling party councillors charged the Corporation officials of creating an artificial drinking water shortage in the city at the council meeting here on Friday. However, Commissioner R. Nanthagopal clarified that major leakages in the main pipeline near Thuvariman and Melakkal was the reason behind the short supply. The leaks would be plugged on July 3 and 4, he said.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam zonal chairperson R. Jeyavel said that he had been complaining of short supply of water in his zone for the past three months but officials showed no sign of attending to it. “Every morning, the complaints on water shortage by residents have become a big problem,” he said.
Mayor V.V. Rajan Chellappa pointed out that there were problems in bringing water from Pannaipatti water treatment plant owing to a leakage. Ruling party member S.D. Jeyabalan complained that poor quality of work in execution of the second drinking water pipeline for the city during the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rule was the reason for the frequent disruption of water supply.
Another zonal Chairperson P. Salaimuthu complained that water was supplied only once in a month in the newly-added areas of the civic body. “We have placed many sintex tanks. But, we are not able to supply water to those tanks due to shortage of tankers. Can’t we hire additional lorries for the purpose?” he asked.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M. Chellam complained that the overhead tank in Vilangudi was not getting water for the past six months. “Whenever I ask, the officials complain about leakage of water in the main pipeline here and there.”
Raja Srinivasan of the ruling party complained that the overhead tank in Sundarajapuram also was not getting adequate water supply.
Another ruling party councillor B. Kannagi charged that the Corporation officials who had promised (in writing) to “look” into several issues she had raised during the previous council meeting had not been attended to at all. The officials had not taken effective steps to remove a generator kept in the first floor in Rani Mangammal Chathiram which, she said, posed danger to the old building. Similarly, an advertisement hoarding kept there too was not removed as promised.
The officials had also not taken any steps to remove roadside sand accumulated on the Veli streets between the railway station and Simmakkal. The Mayor ordered the officials to immediately attend to those problems.
Similarly, another councillor A. Suganthi complained that despite she having brought to the notice of the council about mosquito menace near the office of Centre for Research in Medical Entomology at the last council meeting, no work was done. Mr. Chellappa said that the officials would take up mosquito eradication work immediately.
Deputy Mayor R. Gopalakrishnan, Assistant Commissioners and other officials were present.
