Tamil Nadu - Salem   

Check on illegal water tapping

SALEM: Responding to a plethora of complaints that water distribution remains tardy in Salem city, the Salem Corporation on Wednesday undertook an extensive inspection to find out whether drinking water is being drawn illegally.

A team of senior officials led by Corporation Commissioner S. Natarajan inspected hotels including a three star hotel at Five Roads Junction, weddings halls including those in Sri Saradha College Road and at various points to ascertain whether these big time business establishments were drawing water illegally.

The team inspected the water connections, storage points and the permitted capacity of each hotel and ascertained whether they were resorting to illegal tapping of potable water.

Public had charged that many such big establishments especially hotels had resorted to illegal water tapping from the mainline with the assistance of powered motors thus depriving the small time consumers of their share.

“We have not come across any such violations so far. But the raids will continue,” said a senior Corporation official. The Civic body warned those who resorted to illegal tapping and said that it would initiate legal proceedings and disconnection of pipes if any malpractices were detected. The drive would begin from Thursday.

The Corporation, according to its Executive Engineer A. Ashokan, had undertaken 18 works such as changing the leaking valves, replacing the damaged pipelines etc. in its pipeline system to arrest leakages and to ensure equitable water distribution to all points in the city at a cost of Rs. 61.90 lakh.

Once completed the water distribution would improve, he said.

Salem MLA Alagapuram Mohanraj created a flutter on Tuesday when he and his men laid a siege to the Corporation office with bottles containing contaminated water distributed by the Corporation and insisted that speedy action be taken in this regard. State Highways Minister K. Palanisamy also at a review meeting had asked the Corporation to ensure uninterrupted water supply to all areas.

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