Chennai Metrowater denies report, says it is monitoring tankers using GPS

CHENNAI: Chennai Metrowater on Tuesday denied the report about non-tracking of water tankers using GPS data.

An official communication from the Metrowater said all the 683 hired water tankers were fitted with GPS for monitoring the movement and ensuring water supply to the allotted trips. The tanker movement is monitored centrally from the head office control room and by area offices.

Every trip by hired tanker is entered in an online application for generating a trip sheet and each trip route is defined. The grievance redressal wing of the board daily monitors the position of these vehicles. The tankers which deviate from the allotted route are noted. Concerned area engineers will be alerted for further verification.

In case of unauthorised supply, a penalty of Rs 50,000 is imposed for the first offence and the subsequent offences, the vehicle contract will be terminated.

A total of 15 flying squads with one assistant executive engineer and one junior assistant have been posted in each area to monitor the movement of water tankers.

Routine inspection is also done by the operation and maintenance engineers. A penalty of Rs 10.05 lakh has been imposed and recovered from 33 tankers with a capacity of 9,000 litres, so far.

A sum of Rs 1.70 lakh was imposed on seven tankers with a capacity of 6,000 litre. In the last one year, 39 vehicles were terminated for such violations, the release said.