Local bodies directed to act against disposal of waste near waterbodies

Local bodies must take stringent action against dumping of garbage near waterbodies and waterways, Shiv Das Meena, Additional Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Water Supply, said here on Saturday.

Along with a team of officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD) and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, he inspected the Poondi, Red Hills, Chembarambakkam and Cholavaram reservoirs, which are major sources of drinking water to Chennai. The reservoirs have a combined storage of 6.87 tmcft, which is 58.48% of their capacity.

The present storage in the reservoirs can meet the daily demand of the city till the onset of the northeast monsoon, the officials said.

On an average, the city is provided with 1,025 million litres of water daily. Of this, nearly 977.22 mld of water is supplied to domestic consumers in Chennai and its added areas.

Mr. Meena instructed the officials to repair the damage in link canal between Poondi and Chembarambakkam. Local bodies and the Water Resources Department must monitor and arrest the sewage pollution in the waterbodies and the channels, he added.