Addressing a press conference at the Ripon building earlier this week, Municipality and Rural Administration Minister SP Velumani made a state that left all our ears raised out of shock. Velumani alleged that the problem of water crisis is a manufactured news and that misleading information on drinking water supply was being disseminated, creating a scare among residents.
“A false impression is being created that there is acute scarcity for water in the city. This is not so. I appeal to the public not to give credence to such malicious campaign,” Velumani said without naming anyone in particular.
Minister continued claiming that the government was ensuring water supply throughout the city and simultaneously addressing shortages. Work on supplying drinking water started on a war-footing at an estimated cost of ₹625 crore in all the urban and rural local bodies in the State. The supply is being augmented by digging borewells and supplying water by tanker lorries, he said.
On media reports on hotels and offices running out of water, the Minister denied saying many hotels purchased water from private suppliers. “They may be facing a shortfall in supply due to depletion of ground water levels,” he said. “We have told hotels to save water being used to wash vessels. If any private lorry refuses to come, we will talk and tell them to go. We are ready to solve any problems,” he assured.
