The Neyveli Lignite Corporation has borne the entire expenditure of Rs. 64.60 lakh for the Gangaikondan combined water supply scheme to be executed by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board.
It has also extended financial support to the tune of Rs. 69.48 lakh to the district administration for implementing various works under the Self-Sufficiency Scheme across Cuddalore district.
In this regard, NLC Chairman-cum-Managing Director B. Surender Mohan handed over two cheques totalling Rs. 1.34 crore for the above mentioned projects to the TWAD Board Assistant Executive Engineer (Cuddalore) B. Vijayakumar and Project Director (District Rural Development Agency) V. Mahendran at the corporate office here on Monday. NLC Director (Human Resources) Sarat Kumar Acharya was present on the occasion.
The NLC officials told The Hindu that the scheme would benefit several villages lying between NLC Mines II and Vadalur. The officials said that the NLC was extending the financial assistance for such projects as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR). Under the Self-Sufficiency Scheme the district administration would identify the projects and the NLC would contribute one-third of the total costs.
The officials further said that already the NLC had sanctioned a sum of Rs. 6.22 crore under the CSR for the current financial year 2013—2014.
Both Mr. Vijayakumar and Mr. Mahendran said that all these works, including the water project, would be completed in a year.
It is believed that the funding of the Gangaikondan water scheme would blunt the criticism that the NLC was over exploiting the groundwater or in other words it is pumping out excess water in the mining operation.
