Thiruvanthapuram:
With Tamil Nadu facing a severe water crisis, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office on Thursday claimed it had offered to supply 20 lakh litres of drinking water to its neighbouring state, however the Tamil Nadu chief minister’s office declined, saying, “at present, not required.”
“In response to our offer, we have been informed that at present Tamil Nadu have sufficient supply and doesn’t require additional assistance from Kerala,” Mr Vijayan wrote on Facebook.
Within hours of the reported communication within the two offices, Opposition Leader of Tamil Nadu Assembly MK Stalin tweeted saying , “I wholeheartedly thank Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan for his timely offer to provide water to Tamil Nadu. Urge the government of Tamil Nadu to work with the government of Kerala to help citizens of our state tide over this unprecedented water crisis.”
However, Tamil Nadu Local Administration Minister, SP Velumani, in a written statement has said, “Chennai needs 525 MLD of water/day, Kerala came forward to give 2 MLD, Tamil Nadu officials feel if Kerala could support with 2 MLD of water everyday it would be helpful. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister will announce the decision on accepting Kerala’s offer on Friday.”
Chennai is facing an acute water crisis after its four reservoirs – that are the main sources for drinking water in the city – have turned dry and ground water levels have plummeted due to scanty rain. Authorities in the Tamil Nadu capital have cut water supply by 40 per cent. The shortage of water has hit IT companies, five-star hotels and high-rise residential buildings. Among the dried-up reservoirs is the Chembarambakkam lake, Chennai’s largest source of drinking water. The lake is bone dry with a parched and cracked bed.
The city requires 800 million litres of water every day. But the Chennai Metro Water supplies only 525 million litres.
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