Siruvani Dam has dipped by a foot
Storage in the Siruvani Dam has dipped by a foot in five days, but the Coimbatore Corporation says it will last for a comfortable supply for more about three months. From 42 ft on April 5, the water level was 41 ft on 10.04.2007.The Corporation's confidence stems from the good and timely southwest monsoon for the last three years. But a comparison between the storage now and the corresponding period last year reveals that it is four feet less this year. It was 45 ft on April 10 last year.The Corporation also allay fears of a freeze on the release of new drinking water connections. For the last four years, it has been releasing new connections across the counter.New connections
New connections were severely restricted in the summer of 2003 owing to acute scarcity of Siruvani water. The powers to release new connections were taken away from the Assistant Commissioners of the four zones. Only the Commissioner cleared a few applications on the basis of the dire need for the connections. The release was even restricted to two connections for each zone.Sources say that the present situation may not demand a freeze. Normally, such a measure may be resorted to only if the situation worsens to a once-in-four-days supply of water. "We have supply for 90 days," says Corporation Commissioner P. Muthuveeran. "We are able to supply 75 million litres of Siruvani water a day and are sure of continuing this till the monsoon sets in."Mr. Muthuveeran says there is no need for an alarm over the water situation or the release of new connections. "Normally, the release is restricted during summer. But we do not see any need for it this time."Individual tap connections have risen from 95,000 to over one lakh in two years. This reveals the demand for more water.
Huge task
The Corporation faces a huge task of providing at least 20,000 more connections in more than 500 unapproved layouts that have been regularised recently. Frontline parties had fought the local body elections on the promise of regularising the layouts and providing water connections.
The Corporation pins hopes on the proposed Pilloor Phase II scheme also to provide regular supply to these layouts also. But even if the work on that scheme starts soon, it will take one-and-a-half years to complete. That will be too long a wait for the promise to the fulfilled.
The sources indicate that the Corporation will begin only the main line laying works in these layouts now. The release of connections may begin only after the Siruvani situation improves vastly.The line works too may take that much time.
