TN water crisis: Govt to form monitoring panel as Chennai shuts 100 city hostels

Chennai, June 19: Chennai has been in the tight grip of blistering heat for nearly a week and the heatwave is likely to persist, making travel during the day uncomfortable for city residents. And now it has been reeling under an acute water crisis since the quite sometime now. The water shortage is slowly crippling the hospitality industry as well with multiple restaurants cutting down their business hours.

Even as the Tamil Nadu government claims that there is no water shortage, it will be now be forming a monitoring committee to study the issue, said media reports.

Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister S P Velumani said he had directed officials to form a monitoring committee led by a senior officer who will visit every street in each zone and ensure water supply.

Meanwhile, around 100 hostels in Chennai have stopped operations, said a leading daily. Citing the Chennai Hostel Owners' Welfare Association, it said 100 hostels owned by their 350 members have stopped operations and requested residents to leave the premises.

The Tamil Nadu government had earlier said that it was supplying an additional 2,400 Million Litres Daily (MLD) drinking water, which was more than the amount supplied in previous years.

Velumani said Chennai was facing a serious drought condition due to 62 per cent lesser rains compared to 2017. He said that against 450 MLD of water supplied during that period, the government was now supplying 520 MLD.

Palaniswami on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought financial assistance from the Centre for rejuvenation of water bodies in Tamil Nadu, setting up of rainwater harvesting structures, besides seeking linking of Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh with Cauvery river on a priority basis.