Tamil Nadu - Salem   

Officials must take the blame: councillors

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM, MARCH 2. Councillors of Salem Corporation, cutting across party affiliations, blamed the officials of the Corporation, Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage (TWAD) Board and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) for remaining "insensitive'' to the erratic supply of drinking water in the city over the last 20 days.

A special meeting of officials and councillors saw some heated arguments. Though the media was not permitted to attend it, a majority of the councillors, who participated in the meeting, however, briefed the waiting media in detail about the issues that were discussed in it.

They claimed that they had blamed the officials for the present water crisis in the city. When the city could be supplied water once in two days even at the worst times of drought in the past, it woefully failed this time to streamline its supply even though the Mettur reservoir had a healthy storage, they pointed out. It was an artificial scarcity for which the officials alone must take the blame.

Illegal connections

They said that illegal tape connections, sucking of water from main pipelines and pilferage on wayside habitations were some of the major problems leading to scarcity. Many big hotels and wedding halls in the city clandestinely drew water from the mainline causing loss to the Corporation and affecting the general public, said a DMK councillor. "When we inform the officials about the water scarcity, they never act immediately. The next day we have to face the people who spill onto the roads and streets with empty pots," said an AIADMK councillor.

Many insisted that a monitoring committee including councillors and officials should be formed to supervise the water distribution. A few suggested that a separate wing should be formed to record the quantity of water that was being pumped from the Mettur pumping stations. The officials, who were present, said that they would strive hard to ensure uninterrupted supply of water to the city. Many also turned the tables on the councillors by charging them for exerting pressure on the officials to provide illegal connections. "They also should realise their responsibility," they said. The Mayor, R. Sureshkumar presided over the meeting . The Corporation Commissioner, T. Paulsamy, who conducted the proceedings, said that equal distribution of water would be ensured in the city.

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Officials must take the blame: councillors

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