Dindigul
Four DMK MLAs from Dindigul district, led by Athoor MLA I. Periyasamy, submitted a petition to the Collector on Monday, urging him to take steps on a war-footing to address severe water scarcity across the district.
Due to consecutive failure of monsoons and plummeting of groundwater table, Dindigul district is facing acute water shortage and drought-like situation. In most parts, people are forced to buy a pot of drinking water for ₹20 and water for irrigation and other usage is bought through tankers.
“In the past couple of years, people have been protesting at different parts demanding water supply. All of the 35 integrated water supply schemes in the Dindigul district are defunct,” complained Mr. Periyasamy. “There should be a distress sharing formula and a redressal system so that all the seven Assembly segments in the district can benefit.”
“Right now, the Dindigul Corporation has stopped running the motors and there’s no water supply for villages in Athoor division. The Kamarajar lake has dried up and adding to the woes, the old pipelines don’t carry any more. Pipelines are still being laid and the work is incomplete. The water distribution system and channels have to be revamped,” he said.
He added that villages like Pillayarnatham, Pithalaipatti, Ponmanthurai and blocks like Reddiyarchatram and Oddanchatram are among the most water-starved parts that haven’t got water supply for more than a year.
“The district administration should convene the water development committee meeting, invite all people representatives and government officials of the concerned departments to find a solution to water problem at the earliest,” he said.
Oddanchatram MLA R. Sakkarapani, Palani MLA I.P. Senthil Kumar and Natham MLA M.A. Andi Ambalam were part of the delegation that met the Collector.