Metrowater supply by tanker lorries to hundreds of households in the Teynampet zone was delayed by over three hours on Friday morning as vehicle operators refused to ply demanding immediate payment of their dues.
The tankers, on contract with the water agency, usually start their day around 5 a.m. But on Friday, 12 vehicles that had lined up outside the Valluvar Kottam filling point could not be operated until 8.30 a.m. as their owners did not have sufficient funds to purchase diesel.
S.Kesavaram, joint secretary, Metrowater Tanker Lorries Contractors Association, said: “We spend nearly Rs.1,300 towards fuel alone daily per lorry. In addition, we have to manage funds to pay instalments of loan taken for the vehicles and wages to crew. Since there was not enough money available to purchase diesel on Friday, we decided not to operate until Metrowater cleared the dues.”
Members of the Association said they used to be paid for the trips every fortnight. But, for the last two months, bills have not been cleared. E.V.Ramaputhiran, association's vice-president, said: “The bills are passed within a stipulated period in other zones. Following our protest, the officials assured us that the payment would be made in a few days.”
About 300 tankers are on contract with Metrowater and on an average, each of them, with a capacity of either 9 kl or 6 kl, undertake around 10 trips daily. While the households get the water free of cost, private institutions, including hospitals and educational institutions, are supplied on payment.
From the Valluvar Kottam filling point, the tankers cover localities in a radius of 10 km, including those T.Nagar, Greams Road, Nungambakkam, Royapettah, Anna Salai and Alwarpet. Metrowater supplies nearly 800 million litres of water daily, much of it by pipeline. Tail-end areas and slum tenements depend on the tanker supply.
On the impact of the protest, the lorry operators said that they usually supply to all the areas in Teynampet zone by 4 or 5 p.m., but on Friday it went up to 7.30 p.m.
Officials of the Metrowater said that the problem occurred due to confusion following changes in zones of the expanded city. It would be sorted out soon, they added.
