Chennai: Tamilnadu is reeling under severe water shortage. A group of people led by an NGO in Chennai staged a protest yesterday to highlight the issue and draw the government’s attention.
NGO Arapoor Iyakkam organised the protest in which large number of students and senior citizens took part. They resorted to various art and music forms. Demanding steps to restore water bodies across the State, the protesters sang the Popular Tamil song ‘Why this Kolaveri di?’ with modified lyrics to suit their agitation.
“Every drop of sewage water must be treated, water bodies must be restored, encroachments must be removed, and bring a comprehensive Groundwater Regulation Act,” PTI quoted Arappor Iyakkam as saying.
They listed various demands, which included a system to precisely record rainwater stored, the quantity recharged underground and the amount of water let into the sea. There must be complete transparency and accountability in all water related schemes, they said.
They also demanded the government to take measures to ensure no garbage was dumped in water bodies.
Meanwhile, demanding implementation of the comprehensive water supply scheme for Perundurai constituency, AIADMK MLA N Thoppu Venkatachalam along with 1,000 people marched to District Collectorate office and submitted a petition to the Collector C Kathiravan. In the petition, they. He also said that he would meet Chief Minister K Palaniswami today to submit a petition in this regard.