COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation announced on Tuesday that it would reduce the duration of supply of Siruvani drinking water in order to overcome the shortage of Pilloor water in some of the eastern parts of the city.

The Corporation said that this was to enable the diversion of some amount of Siruvani water to the deficit areas in the eastern parts.

Water would be supplied in lorries in areas where their location on a higher level impeded good flow in the pipes.

The decision was taken at an all-party meeting on the water situation.

Mayor R. Venkatachalam, Deputy Mayor N. Karthik, Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra, heads of parties in the Corporation Council and officials of the civic body and the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board took part in the meeting. The Corporation, however, did not specify the quantum of Siruvani water that would diverted to the Pilloor-served areas.

At present, the city was being provided with 70 million litres of Siruvani water a day, as against the sanctioned quota of 87 million litres. The supply was always reduced gradually during summer.

Out of the quantum being provided now, a significant amount would be diverted to some of the Pilloor-served areas in order to bail them out of a crisis they had been complaining of for long.

This issue had been raised at some meetings of the Corporation Council.

The Corporation also did not specify how much of the Siruvani supply time would be reduced from Wednesday.

The Siruvani-served areas got water for four hours on alternate days.

During earlier crises, the Corporation specified the cut in duration. But, on Tuesday, the Corporation steered clear of any such specific mention.

An official defended this approach by pointing out that the duration could be adjusted according to the need in the Pilloor-served areas.

Both the quantum of water and the duration would vary with requirements in the eastern wards on a given day, he said further.

It also did not consider the option of re-scheduling the supply in the Siruvani areas from alternate days to once in three or four days.

In a press release issued after the all-party meeting, the Commissioner called upon the people in the city to use Siruvani or Pilloor water only for cooking and drinking.

For all other purposes bore well water supplied by the Corporation should be used.

Courtesy - Hindu