Tuticorin to seek drought aid, Rs. 4.24 crore sought to overcome drinking water issue

The district administration has chalked out a "contingency plan" seeking drought relief to the tune of Rs. 4.24 crore from the State Government to overcome drinking water problem in 408 village panchayats during summer this fiscal.

Collector R. Palaniyandi said that the plan document was prepared based on an analysis carried out in the village panchayats spread over 12 panchayat unions, with emphasis on habitations/areas where rainfall was less in 2006 vis-à-vis 2005.

The plan proposes establishment of 277 new borewells at a cost of Rs. 1.05 crore, 50 power pumps and water distribution facilities at Rs. 1.88 crore, extension of pipelines from existing water supply systems to drought hit areas at Rs 44.95 lakh, construction of service reservoirs at Rs 61.6 lakh and rejuvenation of unused borewells at Rs 24.16 lakh to augment drinking water supply to village panchayats.

Of the 277 new wells, 56 were planned at Karungulam block to cover 31 village panchayats, which was followed by 49 wells for 44 panchayats under Pudur block, 37 for 24 panchayats under Sattankulam block and 28 wells for 45 village panchayats under Kayathar block.

The remaining would come up at village panchayats under Srivaikundam, Alwarthirunageri, Udangudi, Kovilpatti, Ottapidaram and Vilathikulam blocks.

As regards establishing power pumps, the Collector said that the administration had proposed for 12 numbers covering 25 village panchayats in Tuticorin block, 13 for Kayathar block, seven for Sattankulam block, six for Karungulam, four for Ottapidaram, three for Vilathikulam, two each for Pudur and Tiruchendur, and one for Srivaikundam block.

Overhead tanks were planned at Sattankulam (13 numbers), Karungulam (6), Pudur (5) and Srivaikundam (2).

Dr. Palaniyandi said that infrastructure development work would be taken up at 82 village panchayats under the Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam during the current fiscal on an outlay of Rs. 20 lakh for each panchayat.