The Hindu : Front Page : Five private agencies to distribute water from desalination plant

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 11, 2005

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Front Page

Five private agencies to distribute water from desalination plant

C. Jaishankar

Meters have been fixed at sumps to prevent illegal diversion of Naripaiyur water To overcome difficulties in distribution, the TWAD Board has engaged five private agencies for water supply

RAMANATHAPURAM: In an effort to overcome difficulties in distribution, the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board has engaged five private agencies to distribute water from the Naripaiyur desalination plant to 296 habitations.

The board has handed over production and maintenance of the plant to an Ahmedabad-based private firm, which has been producing three million litres of water (MLD) a day as against the total capacity of 3.8 MLD. It pays Rs.58 to the firm for producing 1,000 litres of water — for operation, maintenance, repair, replacement and electricity charges.

Though this move has solved problems on the production front, the board cannot find a lasting solution to snags in distribution due to various factors such as insufficient staff and people's tendency to cut pipes and divert water for other needs. So, it has decided to engage private agencies for distribution of water to 1.75 lakh beneficiaries.

Official sources told The Hindu that the distribution process has begun through five agencies. The network has been divided into five divisions. While the first agency would cover areas from Sikkal to Erwadi, the second would supply water to Malattar-Kadaladi, Kandilan, A. Veppankulam and Keela Selvanoor, the third to Puliankudi and Sadayaneri, the fourth to Naripaiyur, Sayalkudi, Pullanthai and Veppankulam and the fifth to Kovilankulam and Sengappali areas.

The board would pay a nominal amount to these agencies, which would take care of paying salary to their staff. Its officials would monitor distribution to ensure proper water supply. To prevent the agencies from diverting water illegally, meters have been fixed at sumps. The agencies would be held responsible for any breach in pipelines.

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