Residents pay more to get less water
Metrowater To Roll Out 90 More 6k-Litre Tankers Today
Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com
Chennai:04.03.2019
Metrowater’s ‘Dial for water’ mobile app has come a cropper as residents are unable to buy anything less than 9,000 litres of water. Many apartment complexes prefer the 6,000-litre load, which Metrowater is unable to deliver. The agency has promised to roll out 90 more tankers of 6,000-litre capacity on Monday to cater to more places.
As of now, every time a resident makes a booking for a 6,000-litre tanker, the sender gets an automated message that says only 50 bookings are allowed and the resident will have to book a 9,000-litre tanker. As per the Chennai Metrowater Supply and Sewerage Board’s website, the booking can be done only between 6am and 6pm. The options are given as 6,000 litres and 9,000 litre, and the cost is ₹475 and ₹700, respectively.
V S Jayaraman, president of T Nagar Resident Welfare Association, told TOI, “Even when we booked a 6,000-litre tanker at 6am which is the commencement time for bookings, we are told to try again the next day or book 9,000 litres. How can we book higher capacity when our sump’s capacity is only 6,000 litres. How is it that as many as 50 orders get booked within minutes of the opening of the bookings? We smell a rat,” he said.
Some residents are forced to spend more to get less. “Most often we end up buying 9,000 litres by paying ₹700, and collect only 6,000 litres. This is unacceptable. The board must come out with ways and means to meet residents’ specific requirement instead of thrusting large quantities on us,” said B Kannan, another resident.
When contacted, Metrowater officials said the agency has 654 water tankers of which 225 are of 6,000-litre capacity. Each of the 15 zones has about a dozen 6,000-litre tankers, but they are mostly used to supply water to narrow streets and slums. “So we are not able to meet other residents’ demands,” said the official.
There have been reports earlier that Metrowater drivers supplied 6,000 litres of water in 9,000-litre capacity tankers and siphoned off the rest of the water. In 2017, nearly a dozen complaints were registered during summer, resulting in the suspension of a driver. In 2018, Metrowater floated tenders to use GPS to track the tankers but nothing has come of it.
Metrowater supplies 550mld (million litres a day) to the city instead of the stipulated 830mld owing to shortage in the reservoirs.
Metrowater To Roll Out 90 More 6k-Litre Tankers Today
Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com
Chennai:04.03.2019
Metrowater’s ‘Dial for water’ mobile app has come a cropper as residents are unable to buy anything less than 9,000 litres of water. Many apartment complexes prefer the 6,000-litre load, which Metrowater is unable to deliver. The agency has promised to roll out 90 more tankers of 6,000-litre capacity on Monday to cater to more places.
As of now, every time a resident makes a booking for a 6,000-litre tanker, the sender gets an automated message that says only 50 bookings are allowed and the resident will have to book a 9,000-litre tanker. As per the Chennai Metrowater Supply and Sewerage Board’s website, the booking can be done only between 6am and 6pm. The options are given as 6,000 litres and 9,000 litre, and the cost is ₹475 and ₹700, respectively.
V S Jayaraman, president of T Nagar Resident Welfare Association, told TOI, “Even when we booked a 6,000-litre tanker at 6am which is the commencement time for bookings, we are told to try again the next day or book 9,000 litres. How can we book higher capacity when our sump’s capacity is only 6,000 litres. How is it that as many as 50 orders get booked within minutes of the opening of the bookings? We smell a rat,” he said.
Some residents are forced to spend more to get less. “Most often we end up buying 9,000 litres by paying ₹700, and collect only 6,000 litres. This is unacceptable. The board must come out with ways and means to meet residents’ specific requirement instead of thrusting large quantities on us,” said B Kannan, another resident.
When contacted, Metrowater officials said the agency has 654 water tankers of which 225 are of 6,000-litre capacity. Each of the 15 zones has about a dozen 6,000-litre tankers, but they are mostly used to supply water to narrow streets and slums. “So we are not able to meet other residents’ demands,” said the official.
There have been reports earlier that Metrowater drivers supplied 6,000 litres of water in 9,000-litre capacity tankers and siphoned off the rest of the water. In 2017, nearly a dozen complaints were registered during summer, resulting in the suspension of a driver. In 2018, Metrowater floated tenders to use GPS to track the tankers but nothing has come of it.
Metrowater supplies 550mld (million litres a day) to the city instead of the stipulated 830mld owing to shortage in the reservoirs.
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