50 years on, piped water supply in Thiru.Vi.Ka Nagar remains elusive

A schoolboy struggles to balance six pots of water he just filled from a tank in Nehru Nagar of Pulinathope. Naseer, who helps him with the pots, says: “He has to carry the pots filled with water to his home in Ambedkar Nagar, three streets away. We have been demanding piped water for 50 years now, but in vain.”

He is among the 5,000-odd voters living on eight streets in Thiru.Vi.Ka Nagar, close to Sastri Nagar and Decastor Road. Residents say water supply is available only from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m., during which time only a few manage to fill their pots. And so, they depend on over 30 water tanks in the area.

Sasikala, 42, said there was no water in the pump at her home for over 20 days now, forcing her to carry water up to her house on the first floor.

“The water in the tanks is not sufficient for all, so we request local authorities to refill them regularly,” Ms. Sasikala said.

Moreover, many let the water flow while filling their pots, leading to stagnation on the damaged roads, which in turn results in mosquito breeding, she added.

Parveen, 56, of Nehru Nagar Fourth Street, said that with her daughter away at work, she has to fetch water for emergencies, which is a difficult task given her age.

Residents also said tussles frequently erupted among people queued up to fill water, though around 30 water tanks had been installed across the eight streets. They said this could be avoided if water supply via pumps was restored.

“All the neighbouring areas get piped water supply, but not us. It will benefit everyone in the area,” residents added.

Selvaraj of Pulianthope Podhu Nala Sangam and a resident of the area said multiple complaints had been made to the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the Ward Councillor M. Saravanan, but to no avail.

“Due to this issue, many families have vacated the area, and many more plan to relocate to areas with better water access. Office-goers and daily wage labourers miss work simply to fetch water,” he says, adding: “A permanent solution will be to extend the nearby water supply pipeline, which is 250m–300m away on Ammayammal Street, to this area.”

Thiru.Vi.Ka Nagar Ward Committee chairperson R. Saritha said that under the Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam, piped water supply had been set up in many areas.