The Hindu : `Water inadequate to meet city's demand'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Water inadequate to meet city's demand'

By K. Lakshmi

CHENNAI, FEB. 17. Water released from the Kandaleru reservoir travelled about 20 kilometres towards Poondi from Zero Point on the border with Andhra Pradesh, by this afternoon. The water released so far is inadequate to meet the city's demand, a government official said.

Until 1 p.m., the inflow was only 15 cubic feet per second (cusecs) said a Public Works Department official who visited the Poondi canal this morning. "The water will travel the remaining 5 kms towards canal by evening," he added. Metrowater had asked the Andhra Pradesh Government for 500 cusecs of water. On Monday morning, the Andhra Pradesh officials released 20 cusecs of water, but reduced it to 17 cusecs to meet the demands of Tirupati and farmers in the area.

A Metrowater official said: "Unless the flow increases, the quantum of water supply to the city cannot be decided." This may result in delay of supply of water from this source to the city, he said.

At the present rate of inflow, it will take nearly two weeks to meet the requirement of 3,000 million cubic feet that Metrowater wanted before it could begin supplying the water through tankers.

The water, which travelled 25 kilometres since yesterday to reach Poondi canal, would be collected and then led through Baby Canal to be treated at Red Hills. This process would take a couple of days after sufficient water was collected in the Poondi canal, he added.

However, the flow is expected to increase in the coming days as per the assurance of the Andhra Pradesh officials of releasing 300 cusecs of water per day. Repair works along the Baby Canal has also been completed, he added.

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