Minjur residents deprived of water - The Hindu

Monday, Sep 19, 2005

Villagers who attended a public hearing at Minjur on Saturday voiced out their problems including over-extraction of water, drinking water needs and livelihood loss.

The hearing was organised by the Citizens Consumer and Civic Action Group as part of a study conducted by the organisation on `Chennai's water crisis: myths and realities.

Perennial problem

For residents of Minjur and its neighbourhood, drinking water has become a perennial problem as groundwater extraction still persists despite sea water intrusion and groundwater depletion.

Residents of Minjur belt witness water pumped from small pockets of villages where quality water was still available and transported through lorries to cater to the city's demand.

With about 200 loads of water being transported daily from villages including Mathur, the locals have been deprived of water for their own needs.

The once water-rich Minjur belt has been reduced to a state of borrowing water from their neighbouring villages as officials are yet to address the problem.