As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Cauvery basin, Chennai, has offered to set up Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants in seven drought-hit villages in the district at a total cost of ₹96.11 lakh.
Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao on Tuesday inaugurated RO plants for SP Pattinam and Kolunthurai at a function at SP Pattinam in the presence of ONGC, Cauvery basin Group General Managers C. V. Sastry and Laxma Reddy and General Manager, ONGC, Karaikal, T. Sai Prasad. Inauguration of the plants coincided with ‘Swachhta fortnight’ being observed by ONGC from July 1 to 15.
The remaining five RO plants to be established in Vennatoor, Pothikulam, Regunathapuram, Kanjirankudi and Landai were under fast track progress and would be commissioned soon, they said. The RO plant project was funded by ONGC and implemented by the district administration through Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute.
ONGC has 86 gas wells in the district and would be taking up 22 more wells. ONGC has been implementing several projects through its CSR activities after partnering with the district administration. It has also extended ₹57.50 lakh to deepen and desilt 115 waterbodies.
It had taken up construction of individual household latrines at a cost of ₹89.50 lakh through Wockhardt Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO). After completing the construction of 130 latrines, the NGO has taken up construction of 168 latrines in the second phase.
Other CSR initiatives under implementation or consideration, include construction of toilet blocks, providing medical equipment and vehicles for Primary Health Centres, renovation of three Adi-dravidar student hostels and RO water supply to schools.