The third desalination plant being built at Nemmeli is likely to be ready by mid-November and will soon be operated on a trial basis.
Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru, who inspected the work at the plant on the East Coast Road on Saturday, said the ₹1,516.82-crore project with a capacity of 150 million litres daily (mld) is nearing completion.
Work has been completed to lay a 48.10-km-long pipeline and for a water distribution facility at Sholinganallur. Besides, the work on 23 components of the desalination plant and the remaining portion of pipelines to draw seawater and discharge brine will be finished by mid-October.
Mr. Nehru said the plant would be operated on a trial basis later this month. It would take at least a month for the plant to be ready for water supply. Initially, 25 mld would be supplied from the plant and the quantum would be stepped up to maximum capacity in phases in about two months. The plant would cater to a population of nine lakh in southern parts, including Velachery, Nanmangalam and Madipakkam and parts of Rajiv Gandhi Salai and Pallavaram, said a press release.
He said that preliminary work such as clearing of vegetation is being done to construct the fourth and largest desalination plant at Perur along the East Coast Road. Work would start shortly. Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises T.M. Anbarasan and officials of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board were present.
PHC opened
Earlier, Mr. Nehru inaugurated an urban primary health centre in Kamaraj Nagar, Perambur in the presence of CMDA and HR and CE Minister P.K. Sekarbabu.
The Greater Chennai Corporation had intensified the drive to prevent dengue in the city. The city reported 346 dengue cases this year as against 426 last year, said Mr. Nehru. The civic body had taken steps to treat dengue patients.
“The UPHC in Perambur Kamaraj Nagar has been constructed at a cost of ₹2.9 crore. The centre will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” he said. The Corporation would complete the drain work in one week. Following the orders from Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, the officials had taken up monsoon preparedness work, he said.
