Warning From Corp
Those who are bent on using motors to pilfer drinking water will have their supply lines disconnected for six months by the Coimbatore Corporation, Mayor R. Venkatachalam warned on Monday. “I have called for the formation of special squads to keep vigil across the city against unauthorised drawal,” he said.
The Mayor said he had suggested to Commissioner V.K. Shanmugham, Deputy Commissioner V. Shanta, Assistant Commissioners and water supply officials that the squads could be formed to prevent unauthorised drawal when there was huge demand for water. “People must realise that water level in the Siruvani Dam is coming down, especially at a time when the demand for water is increasing. In such a situation, they should be content with the due quantity provided by the Corporation,” he said. It was improper to use motors to draw excess quantity and deny others the water due to them.
The Mayor admitted that detecting the malpractice was a difficult task. “Motors are now the size of a coconut. They can be concealed easily at the sight of Corporation staff. This is why I have called for special squads,” he said. The Mayor said that instead of re-scheduling supply in the face of the dipping water level in the Siruvani Dam, the Corporation continued with alternate day supply in the fond hope that people would be very austere in using drinking water.
People should use bore well water for all purposes other than cooking and drinking. The Corporation had sunk bore wells only for this, he pointed out. The Mayor said the water level in Siruvani Dam had reduced by almost a foot in five days. It was 39.54 ft on May 1, as against the full reservoir level of 67.44 ft. On Monday, it was 38.49 ft. Though the levels in the corresponding period last year were lower (36 ft and 35 ft respectively), there was no room for extravagance in spending water this year because of the demand increasing by the day in the city.
The water holding area became narrow as the level dipped. Therefore, it would be wrong to conclude that the dam was half full and squander water, the Mayor warned. The city now got 71 million litres a day. The Corporation hoped to make a comfortable, alternate day supply with this till the first week of June, the normal time for the onset of the South West Monsoon, the Mayor said.
