The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the Managing Director of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) to deal with the problem of polluted drinking water supply in various areas of Triplicane by giving top priority to it and on a war footing so that normality will be restored.
The Board should also ensure that enough drinking water was supplied through tankers so that the public did not suffer. The Managing Director should send a further report to the Commission within a week.
The SHRC also directed the Commissioner, Chennai Corporation, to keep a constant watch and take all preventive measures until normalcy returned.
The Commission Chairperson, Justice A. S.Venkatachalamoorthy passed the interim order after taking suo motu cognisance of a news report in The Hindu on March 5 that residents of Easwaradoss Street, T.P.Koil Street, Car Street, Singarachari Street and South Tank Square Street complained they were receiving sewage-mixed drinking water for over two weeks. The Commission had called for a report from the Chennai Corporation Commissioner and the CMWSSB.
In his report, the CMWSSB Managing Director said the water pollution complaint was received on February 26. Immediately, during the site inspection by officials it was found that the water quality in South Tank Square Street and T.P.Koil Street was good. However, pollution was noticed in the other three streets. Work was on to detect the source of pollution.
The Board also detailed the steps taken by it, including supply of water through tankers and tanks. Water mains at Eswaradoss Street, Car Street and Singarachari Street had been isolated to identify the source of pollution. Water supply through tankers would be continued in these streets till the source of pollution was identified and rectified.
The exercise is expected to be completed in 10 days.
The Corporation Commissioner said the civic body was in no way responsible for the pollution.
It had also taken various preventive measures including distribution of chlorine tablets and disinfecting the area concerned. The Corporation was maintaining a constant vigil to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases.
Later, the Commission passed the order.
