Rs.70-crore drinking water project for Dindigul

Plans to revise domestic and commercial water tax

DMK councilors staging a walkout from the municipal council meeting in Dindigul on Wednesday. Photo: G. Karthikeyan

The Dindigul Municipality will spend Rs.70 crore to augment drinking water supply to Dindigul town. To meet its expenses, it will revise domestic and commercial water tax and deposit amount for new water connection.

Elaborating on the new project at the Municipal Council meeting here on Wednesday, Council Chairman V. Marudha Raj said present drinking water requirement of the municipality was 28 million litres a day (MLD), but the supply from Athoor Kamarajar dam and Cauvery Combined Drinking Water Project was just 14 MLD.

With this supply, the municipality could supply water to residents only once in a week. Kamarajar dam had also been feeding 17 wayside villages and Chinnalapatti town. In future, requirement of wayside villages and Chinnalapatti would be around 26 MLD, he said.

Of the total project cost, Japan International Co-operation Agency will contribute Rs.35.10 crore, including a grant of Rs.14.10 crore, Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Project share Rs.28.20 crore and the local body contribution Rs.7.05 crore.

To meet its expenses, the municipality proposed to increase water tax from Rs.45 to Rs.280 for domestic water connections and to Rs.560 for other connections. Similarly, deposit for domestic water connection will be revised to Rs.10,000 and for commercial connection Rs.20,000, he pointed out.

Walkout

The DMK Councillors staged a walkout from the Council meeting over the proposed hike in water charges, stating that it would affect all sections of the people. The municipality could not supply drinking water to wards even once in eight days.

Then how could we accept upward revision of charges, they asked.

DMK Councillor M. Mohammad Rafeek said the revision of water tax should not exceed Rs.80 for domestic connection. Other DMK Councillors, K. Azhagarsamy and S. Rajappa, too supported him.

Later talking to media persons, the Chairman said the municipality would revise the tax to Rs.150 for domestic connection and Rs.560 for other connections. It would come into force only after the implementation of the project, he added.