The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Water connection at Rs.100 for underprivileged launched

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Wednesday, Sep 10, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Water connection at Rs.100 for underprivileged launched

Staff Reporter

48,000 households are likely to benefit, says Stalin

— Photo: R. Ragu

Local Administration Minister M. K. Stalin at the launch of the Rs.100 water connection scheme for underprivileged in Chennai on Thursday. Mayor M. Subramanian is in the picture.

CHENNAI: City residents living in dwelling units with built area less than 500 sq. ft. will now get water supply connections for Rs.100 each. The scheme for providing water supply connections at this rate for underprivileged consumers was launched at a function here on Tuesday.

Launching the scheme at Bojarajan Nagar, Old Washermenpet, Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin said an estimated 48,000 households in the city are expected to benefit from the scheme. At present, Rs.5,000 each is charged for new water supply connections for houses with built area up to 1,000 sq.ft. and Rs.7,500 for plinth area above 1,000 sq.ft. Similar charges are to be paid for sewer connections.

However, under the scheme, water supply and sewer connections would be provided at Rs.100 each for economically weak households.

Such beneficiaries need not furnish income certificate from the Revenue Department, he said.

Highlighting various schemes taken up by the Chennai Metrowater, Mr. Stalin said the desalination plant in suburban Minjur, with a capacity of 100 million litres a day (mld), would be operational by February next. Nearly 87 per cent of work has been completed.

Tenders are to be floated soon for the Nemmeli desalination plant. About Rs.300 crore has been allotted, as the first instalment by the Central government, for the project, he said.

The Metrowater supplied 585 mld of water to the city. Steps are being taken to provide 1.2 lakh new water supply connections of which 40 per cent belong to economically weaker section.

Of nearly 500 applicants to be provided water connections under the newly launched scheme, about 100 households are in Area-I comprising Kodungaiyur and Washermenpet.

Mayor M.Subramanian said the soil test for vehicular subway worth Rs.5 crore at Bojarajan Nagar has been completed. The subway initially planned for only two-wheelers would also accommodate cars.

He outlined the progress of other vehicular subways and flyover projects in the city.

Municipal Administration and Water Supply secretary K. Deenabandu and Metrowater Managing Director Sunil Paliwal also spoke.

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