Pallavaram residents plan protest for water

Pallavaram residents plan protest for water

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:14.03.2021 

With less than a month to go for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, a group of 745 households in a gated community in Pallavaram municipality has planned a relay hunger fast and will raise black flags at their homes on Sunday to highlight issues of water connections and sewage treatment.

The Olympia Grande Apartment Owners Welfare Association (OGAOWF) of the eponymous gated community in GST colony had planned their protest for Saturday evening but the local police convinced the group to postpone it. “We had even invited local politicians to get a solution for our issues,” said Dr H Narayanamurthi, OGAOWF president. There are at least 2,000 eligible voters in this gated community.

Residents are irked that the Pallavaram municipality and TN Pollution Control Board failed to take action against the builder for not ensuring water supply connection and operation of the sewage treatment plant in the complex. The STP was to supply grey water to the homes. The association said residents are forced to spend around ₹12,000 a day on water tankers alone. “On some days, water is not available,” Narayanamurthi said.

On Saturday, police played mediator and the developer gave an assurance to resolve the issues, Narayanamurthi said.

Drinking water pipes from connection points will be completed by April 13, said an email on Saturday from A J Balaji of Olympia Tech Park to the association. The STPs were working properly and any issue would be checked and resolved by March 31, the email added.

A municipal engineer at Pallavaram municipality told TOI that as far as water connections are concerned, many residents are yet to pay property and water tax. “We have written to Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board to see what best can be done,” the official said.