The Hindu : Water contamination in southern suburbs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Water contamination in southern suburbs

By Karthik Subramanian

CHENNAI APRIL 25. Drinking water supply to thousands of residents in southern suburban areas was severely contaminated with a chemical dumped by a tanker lorry. Some of them fell ill today after using Palar water for cooking.

The Tamil Nadu Water And Drainage Board, supplying water in the region, said it had identified the source of contamination near Padappai, 25 km away from Tambaram, where chemical waste dumped by the unidentified tanker had entered the system.

Officials of the board were working overtime to replace a small stretch of pipeline on Mudichur Road, where the contamination occurred. They expressed the hope that the supply would be restored by Saturday, after the system was flushed. They tried to allay fears that the chemical was toxic, as fish in tanks in pumping stations further down the line survived.

Water samples were, however, referred to Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board laboratories .

A visit to the site near Padappai revealed that the chemical had burnt grass and seeped into pipelines. Earth-moving equipment were brought from Pallavaram to replace the pipes. Local residents, who were witness to the operations, noted that unauthorised dumping of chemical and also municipal waste was a regular feature in the area.

The incident has also turned the focus on effluent treatment facilities with the tannery industry situated in adjoining areas like Pammal, and the TNPCB's enforcement rule.

Since Thursday afternoon, most of the residents at Tambaram, Pallavaram, Pammal, Anakaputur and Chitlapakkam had been receiving drinking water with a pungent odour.

``The stench was strong and consumption of the water caused nausea. There was no doubt that it was unfit for consumption,'' said a tea stall owner, whose shop was just a few metres away from the Pallavaram municipal office.

he water quality deteriorated further by this morning. They were left with no option other than purchasing packaged water, with or without ISI certification, which invariably is groundwater tapped in the suburbs.

The TWAD officials said the contamination was first reported at Nehru Nagar, Pallvaram, on Thursday. Overhead tanks were flushed and the supply was resumed in the hope that the stench would go away. The contamination was very severe at Pallavaram, where water has been sourced from wells at Pazhayaseevaram. By this afternoon, municipal officials, under pressure from residents and welfare associations, urged the people over the local cable TV channel and the public announcement system mounted on autorickshaws, not to use drinking water. But several households had already used the water for cooking and had to dump food because of strong odours. Some residents said they felt sick later. ``The residents will use water only after the TWAD board certifies that it is safe for consumption,'' said V. Santhanam, president, Federation of Civic and Welfare Associations of Pallavapuram Municipality. At Pallavaram alone, more than 8,000 household connections and 260 public fountains went dry as supply was cut by this afternoon. Tambaram residents, however, had a reprieve as the municipality switched to a different source of supply.

When contacted, both P. Dhansingh and S. R. Raja, chairmen of the Pallavaram and Tambaram municipalities, said the contamination was under control and normal supply would be resumed soon.

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