VIRUDHUNAGAR
The release of a Government Order for implementing combined water supply scheme for Virudhunagar, Sattur and Aruppukottai municipalities, a long-pending demand, has brought cheers to residents of the three major towns of Virudhunagar district.
When Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami visited Virudhunagar in October 2017 to participate in the MGR centenary celebrations, he gave an assurance to enhance drinking water distribution in the three water-starved municipalities, which are getting supply from the Tamirabharani.
A detailed project report prepared by the TWAD Board was then sent to the government by the Commissioner for Revenue Administration for administrative sanction. The sanction for ₹501.60 crore to implement the CWSS would take care of the water requirement for at least another two decades as it would provide 135 litres per capita per day (lpcd).
Presently, the supply in the three municipalities is Aruppukottai: 50 lpcd, Sattur: 88 lpcd and Virudhunagar: 56 lpcd, which is below the 90 lpcd norm.
Reacting to the GO, senior DMK leader and Aruppukottai MLA KKSSR Ramachandran said that he had raised the issue several times in the Assembly and made a mention about it in his poll manifesto. Speedy implementation of the scheme should be ensured by officials and bureaucratic hurdles should not hamper progress, he said. The MLA was hopeful that enhanced water supply through the CWSS should take care of the demand for at least 25 years.
