Water scarcity haunts them

It is a testing time for residents of Pudu Street in Peria Milaguparai

Residents of Peria Milaguparai in Tiruchi showing their displeasure by raising empty pots for short supply of drinking water.

It is a testing time for G. Sarala Devi (55), a resident of Pudu Street in Peria Milaguparai, who is anxiously waiting for a pot of drinking water for the last one week. She invariably carries plastic pots to a public pipe both in morning and evening. She waits for at least 30 minutes for filling Cauvery water being supplied by the Tiruchi Corporation. But, her efforts are yet to yield results.

She is not the only woman, who faces the drinking water issue. Several other women of Pudu theru and Kallar theru also suffer due to erratic and short supply of drinking water.

When this correspondent visited the area to study the ground reality on Sunday, more than 60 to 70 women surrounded him with empty pots within a few minutes. Raising their demands, the women registered their anger against the elected representatives and officials of Tiruchi Corporation for failing to listen to them.

“Seven days have passed since I received a pot of water for drinking purpose. It did not last for a day. Since then I have been waiting to tap water,” says S. Thilagavathi.

Recollecting an agitation staged at the Collectorate a few days ago, S. Vijayakumari of the same area said that the Corporation supplied water for just about 15 minutes the next day after the protest. However, many of the residents could not get water.

“We have been frequently visiting the Collectorate and Tiruchi Corporation to bring the attention of officials on drinking water issue. But, solution still eludes,” D. Kamatchi, another resident.

Stating that about 2,000 families were residing in Kallar theru and Pudu theru, the residents said that though they had been encountering the problem all through the year, it would become severe in summer months. It was understood that Corporation water could not pass to their households as they were residing in an upper reach area.

“We regularly pay water tax to the Tiruchi Corporation. It is duty bound to supply drinking water to us. However, we are deprived of basic essential. In the absence of water supply, we buy water from private suppliers,” Ms. Thilagavathi added.

Considering the long pending issue, the residents said that it was high time to study the issue in detail so as to find a lasting solution. Besides taking temporary measures, the Tiruchi Corporation should immediately take steps to solve it permanently.