On July 25, around 30 of members from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from wards 16 (Railway Colony), 17 (Ellis Nagar), 19 (Ponmeni), 20 (Arasaradi) and 21 (Bethaniapuram) gathered outside the Arasaradi pumping station demanding regular water supply.
The number tripled the next day as hundreds entered the Corporation’s east zone office demanding water supply for two other wards 55 (Iravathanallur) and 56 (Chinna Anuppanadi).
The members, mostly residents of the two wards, said that many areas did not receive alternate day’s water supply despite steady inflow into the main pumping station.
A. Rajan, a resident of Bethaniapuram, says that he had complained to the Corporation office on several occasions, raising issues about delay in arrival of water tankers.
He had also complained about seepage of sewage into pipelines.
“The officials keep seeking 15 days’ time. If the Commissioner asks the respective engineer to look into the matter, there will be relief for a couple of days. The issue, however, is cyclic and is a periodical problem,” he says.
A. Saraswathi, a resident of Ellis Nagar, says that areas particularly near the Mariamman temple have no water taps. The water stands where lorries fill water are usually not cleaned, though a Corporation official from the engineering department says that they are washed based on usage every six months.
Protesters also added that the established water supply pipelines do not pump water correctly. Those close to the source (over head tanks) receive maximum thrust of water whereas others living in the tail end barely get any water.
These problems are also faced by residents in Vandiyur, Melamadai, Gomathipuram, Anna Nagar, Kannanendal, Avaniapuram and Uthangudi.
These are common features across Madurai, says a Corporation employee at Arasaradi.
“Currently, the Corporation receives 115 MLD (million litres per day) from Vaigai dam, 18 mld from local sources and 10 mld from the Cauvery Integrated Water Supply Project. Though many areas of the city receive water supply through pipelines, others are heavily dependent on lorries and tankers,” he says.
According to the Madurai Corporation Budget for 2018-19, 42% of the population depends on public water stand posts due to lack of proper connections.
The lack of pipeline supply proves to be a problem in people’s daily schedule too.
Having to wait for a water tanker creates a ‘Day Zero’ situation, particularly in the added wards.
This results in women and children regularly queuing up in front of tankers and paying a minimum of ₹10 per pot.
The Corporation estimated an expenditure of ₹405.59 lakh for maintenance expenditure under water supply. It also estimated an expenditure of ₹534.90 lakh for the hire charges of private lorries and tankers in 2017-18. The budget estimates for 2018-19 is pegged at ₹921.80 lakh.
Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar has submitted a proposal for a project costing ₹600 crore to refurbish water supply lines in the 28 added wards to the Municipal Administration and Water Supply department at the Secretariat.
But G. Ganesan, Bethaniapuram area secretary of CPI (M), wonders if the Corporation is going to work on its already existing infrastructure and then move on to build up better supply.
“There is a lack of a proper system. Residents do not know when water will be supplied and when tankers will arrive. The Corporation needs to be proactive in this regard and provide water to all wards in time,” he says.
The Commissioner says that the Corporation has decided to release a schedule of operation of water tankers in different areas.
“We will announce the schedule in the media and also post it out on our website. Though we may not be able to accurately pin point the time, we can provide one-hour window announcing the arrival,” he says.
He claims that the Corporation regularly tracks the water tankers through Global Positioning System and will soon provide the information to the public through an app or website. People can track their tankers online and be prepared.
