Chennai: The indefinite strike announced by the packaged drinking water firms in Tamilnadu has entered into the fifth day, even as the representatives of various water firms were likely to meet Minister S P Velumani today.
The strike was announced on 27 February following Madras High Court directive that the State should take action against unlicensed units and illegal extraction of water. Sources said that out of the 1,612 units in Tamilnadu only 600 had no objection certificates from the Water Resources Department.
”The hearing of the petition filed by the Tamilnadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers’ Association is slated to be taken up for hearing tomorrow,” sources said.
Due to the closing of the packaged water manufacturing units, water cans are not available in several places. The rates have also gone up and the water cans which were sold at Rs 30-40 are now being sold at Rs 80. A few residents are also worried about the quality of the water they are getting now.
”With several manufacturing units shut in the past few days. We do not know where our can water is coming from. So we are boiling and drinking well water,” said Ranjini, a resident of Selaiyur.
Meanwhile, can water suppliers said that very few manufacturing units are functioning in the night time and water is being supplied to regular customers only. It may be noted that the officials have sealed more than 30 water manufacturing units in and around the city in the past few days.