Residents of Chromepet, Chitlapakkam, Kumaran Kundram (a small hillock located near Chromepet) and Tambaram Sanatorium receive Palar drinking water once a week.
They buy can water for drinking. For other purposes, they largely rely on water supplied by water tankers and store in sumps. At present, the ground water table is impressive, largely due to the rains in 2015. However, residents think the positive ground water situation may not last long.
Failure on the part of the authorities concerned to de-silt and deepen the waterbodies to store rainwater is likely to result in acute water crisis during the months of April, May, and June, residents say, adding that as of now, only the bunds have been strengthened.
They have requested that the State government ensure construction of check dams at waterbodies across the suburbs, and also in the Palar river.
“Dry regions such as Chromepet, Chitlapakkam and Tambaram Sanatorium are in the grip of an acute drinking water crisis; water from Palar River river has been allowed to go into the sea,” says V. Santhanam,.
As creating check dams would prevent flooding, the practice of people breaking bunds to protect their bunds from flooding is likely to end.
Palar river water from Palar anicut is diverted to the Poondi reservoir located in Kosasthalaiyar River basin and to Chembarambakkam lake located in Adayar River Basin. These two reservoirs are major water supply points to Chennai city.
‘Any Time Water’ machine
M. Ravi, secretary, Sri Sarvamangala Nagar Residents Welfare Association, Chitlapakkam, is of the view that installation of an Any Time Water (ATW) machine with reverse osmosis plant, on the lines of two RO plants with attached ‘ATWs’ in Alimedu and Orakkadu near Chennai, where residents can swipe a card to get drinking water, could be tried out.
“Such a facility would be of immense help to residents. The machine will calculate the volume of water drawn and deduct an amount from the person’s smart card account. People can recharge the card depending on their requirements,” he says.
Connecting waterbodies
to the Pallikaranai marsh
Environment activists have pointed out that waterbodies in the suburbs should be de-silted and deepened, inter-linked and then connected to the Pallikaranai marsh.
At present, the Marsh carries rainwater through water channels running through Kamakshi Hospital area, Sholinganallur, East Coast Road and Okkiyam Maduvu to the sea. An inter-linked network of waterbodies being connected to the Marsh will lead to greater storage of rainwater.
