State local administration minister K.P. Munusamy on Friday said the government was supplying 80mld (million liters per day) to meet the drinking water needs of residents of areas merged with Chennai Corporation.
In a point by point rebuttal to DMK president M. Karunanidhi who alleged that Ambattur residents were facing acute water shortage, Mr Munusamy, in a elaborate statement, stoutly refuted the same and said that estimates were being prepared for drinking water projects in 32 of the 42 local bodies merged with the corporation at a cost of Rs 500 crore.
Referring to the project completion and supply of drinking water in Kathivakkam and Valasarawakkam areas besides trial run of water projects in Porur, Mr Munusamy added that the projects are under implementation in seven other added areas too.
Criticising the alleged slow progress of Rs 464 crore drinking water projects in Maduravoyal, Alandur, Ambattur, Tiruvotriyur and Ullagaram-Puzhithvakkam areas between 2008 and 2011, the minister said the works were expedited after AIADMK assumed power.
Hitting out at Karunanidhi for complaining that water supply in several parts of Ambattur zone was erratic, he said the supply to the area was increased by 20 lakh liters to 160 lakh liters per day by installing 526 new tanks and operating water tankers.