Ensure water to all in Avadi, says High Court

CHENNAI: The

Avadi municipality

came in for severe criticism from the Madras high court when the civic body told the court that it could provide about 1,000

water

connections to households a month.

The first bench of the court directed the municipality to devise a methodology to give water connections quickly to all the 18,000 households.

"We fail to appreciate the aforesaid position for the reason that if 1,000 connections per month are given and as per their own case about 18,000-plus applications were pending, then it will take 18 months to give connections alone in a project which was to be completed within 2 years and has already taken 7 years. We, thus, call upon the

Avadi

municipality to devise a methodology to ensure that these connections are given quickly and submit a compliance report before us in this behalf. We would also monitor the matter for some time to ensure that there is no further delay", the bench.

The judges then posted the matter to December 16 for the municipality to report compliance of the order. Earlier, counsel for the municipality submitted that 95% of the work was over and 100 connections had been given in the last one week.

It was in response to a court query as to how long would it take for the municipality to give water connections to all households, that counsel said they could issue 1,000 connections per month.

The matter relates to a PIL filed by N Babu Ganesh of Avadi, highlighting the inordinate delay in completion of the project by civic authorities.

Citing him, the bench said amounts were sanctioned under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission for Metrowater work in Avadi Municipality area, envisaged completion in 2 years. Since the scheme was not fully implemented within 2 years, there were agitations in 2009. In the year 2011, about 77% of the work was completed and it was assured to residents that water would be supplied from Puzhal lake.

In 2009, residents were even asked to deposit amounts, but the connection had not been given, and authorities were not in a position to reply as to when the scheme would be complete.

In response to a

RTI

application by the petitioner, the municipality said scheme was commenced on November 11, 2009, but the date of completion of the work was referred to as "Work is under progress."