Residential colonies in and around Woraiyur in the city are likely to get supply from the drinking water supply augmentation scheme by the end of this month.
Disclosing this at an ordinary meeting of the Corporation Council, chaired by Mayor A. Jaya here on Friday, Corporation Commissioner V.P. Thandapani said test runs were already underway to pump water from the Collector Well 1 of the new water scheme on the Coleroon River to 11 drinking water overhead tanks in and around Woraiyur.
The areas are currently fed by the Corporation Main Pumping Station with its source being the Cauvery River. The Corporation is expected to start pumping about 10 million litres a day to the areas from the new scheme.
Rs.221.42 crore
The new scheme is being executed at a cost of Rs.221.42 crore with financial assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency. All the three collector wells of the scheme are ready and the Corporation is planning to go in for staggered commissioning of the project.
Responding to queries from a section of councillors, R. Chandran, Executive Engineer of the Corporation, informed the council that the test runs would be completed soon and the 11 tanks would be provided supply under the new scheme by the end of this month.
Efforts were also on to provide water to Mela Kalkandarkottai and Ariyamangalam areas from the other two collector wells of the scheme soon. This would be possible soon once the work was completed on laying the pumping mains across the Cauvery River. The works were underway in full swing, he said.
Responding to another query, Mr.Thandapani clarified that the Corporation has planned to fix a uniform ‘centage charge’ for all the 1.10 lakh new water connections to be provided under the new scheme.
The Corporation would provide the connections right up to the households from the distribution mains. The deposit for new connections, in necessary cases, would be collected in six quarterly instalments.
However, the deposit for new commercial connections would have to be paid in full. The council approved a resolution on the subject as well as another official resolution to hire a consultant to explore the feasibility of providing 24/7 water supply in some parts of the city under a pilot project.
Speaking on the issue, M.Anbazhagan, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam floor leader, urged the Commissioner to ensure that no deposit or centage charge was collected from residents who already have water connections, when the distribution lines are shifted.
Doctors on contract
Mr.Thandapani also disclosed that the Corporation was in talks with the Indian Medial Association and voluntary organisations to appoint doctors on contract basis for all the Corporation health centres and dispensaries.
The Corporation, which runs about 26 health centres and dispensaries, but there were only 15 doctors, including three Siddha doctors. The move was intended to overcome the shortage of doctors.
Road sweeper
Earlier at an urgent meeting, the council gave its nod for the purchase of a mechanised road sweeper with a water spray system at a cost of Rs.27 lakhs for cleaning the city roads.
Land for stadium
The council also gave its approval for providing about 1.50 acres of land to the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu for setting up an indoor stadium at Panchakarai in Srirangam.
