For the last 10 days, hundreds of dwellings situated in Shenbaganoor, Koyyappaarai and surrounding areas have been experiencing scarcity of potable water in the upper hills of Kodaikanal.
There are 24 wards in the Kodaikanal Municipality. While dwellings and premises situated within the town limits have been getting water through pipelines twice a week, those in the outer zones have not been getting a drop of water. Several appeals to the municipal authorities to take steps have not fetched any desired results so far.
Antony, a resident of Irudayapuram said that the stock response from the authorities is that the lorry belonging to the municipality has gone to the workshop for repairs. “We have been getting this reply for the last 2 months...As a stop gap arrangement, we (the residents) hired a private tanker lorry to supply water, but the Municipal authorities were hesitating over this as well as they could not fill diesel for a private vehicle,” he claimed.
Hence, to ensure that at least a few pots were available for each dwelling, private carts were engaged, but they too have stopped after the lockdown, another resident on Cement Road said and added that the municipal authorities should expedite repair works on the lorry and arrange for water distribution at the earliest.
With a rise in temperature, people have started feeling the heat in the hill station and are looking for a permanent solution from the district administration.
When contacted, Dindigul Collector M. Vijayalakshmi said that she would look into the issue and take steps after reviewing the situation with Municipal officials.
