Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Government plans to transport one crore litres of water daily by train from Jolarpettai in Vellore district to meet the water needs of Chennai.
This was announced on Friday by Chief Minister K Palaniswami, who said a sum of Rs 65 crore has been allocated for this purpose.
“The state government has explored options to bring water in trains to Chennai from other districts. We have allocated Rs 65 crore for bringing 10 MLD of water daily in trains from Jolarpet to Chennai. Water from various districts will be aggregated at Jolarpet. From there, it will be transported to Chennai,” the CM said.
The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board has been allocated Rs 158.42 crore for water distribution in Chennai. Other state agencies, including the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, have been provided Rs 108.32 crore to ensure water supply in other parts of the state, the CM said.
Water from Veeranam lake in Cuddalore district is also being brought to Chennai, the CM added.
Besides Chennai, severe water scarcity has gripped Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, and Dindigul in Tamil Nadu.
On Thursday, neighbouring Kerala offered to supply 20 lakh litres of drinking water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu by train.
Palaniswami welcomed Vijayan’s offer to supply water to Tamil Nadu but said if Kerala offered to send this daily, it would be useful for the people instead of a one-time supply. He also requested Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to extend cooperation to strengthen the Mullaperiyar Dam so as to increase the storage levels.
Palaniswami said water is being supplied to the people of Chennai through water tankers. He further rejected the news that two tanker loads of water are being supplied to the homes of ministers daily.
TN Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, who attended a meeting of finance ministers chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Friday, sought a special package of Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre to augment irrigation structures in drought-hit areas of the state.
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Ms Kalinga