Chennai: With the scorching sun drying up the city’s reservoirs, recent reports have revealed that the ground water levels in Kodambakkam, Chennai, have dipped to an average of seven metres in the month of April.
In this situation, residents fear that the water crisis might worsen in the coming days, even as thousands depend on the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board (CMWSSB) and other private lorries for their daily usage.
According to Nirmala Shankar, a resident of Kodambakkam, “We used to get Metro water from the hand pump installed nearby. But for the past three weeks, the supply to the pump has been stopped and we are now dependent on cans.”
When asked about the status of metro water tankers, she said, “We tried contacting them, but we didn’t get any response.”
On the CMWSSB’s ‘Dial for Water Scheme’, residents claim that booking through this has always been a hassle. “All residents in our avenue get their daily source of water from tankers,” said Shadvi of Kodambakkam.
“Despite paying taxes, we get supply only for an hour or two. To tackle this problem, we book both Metro and private tankers,” she added.
Locals have also raised their concerns over CMWSSB cancelling online requests. Allegedly, if orders are placed more than once from the same address, the latest request gets cancelled abruptly, leaving residents disappointed. When News Today reached out to officials from the Metrowater board, they declined to offer comments.
Article by: Sureka Rajasekar