‘Policy to regulate drilling of borewells being examined’

Tamil Nadu is facing one of its worst water crises in recent decades. Households, factories, educational institutions and hotels are struggling to procure water for daily use. With monsoon rain unlikely any time soon, the State government is under pressure to deliver. In an interview, Harmander Singh, Secretary to the Government in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, talks about the short-term and long-term measures being taken to resolve the crisis. Excerpts:
With no sufficient rain in sight, what is the government’s plan to manage the water scarcity in the State?
We are identifying new sources of water and are using small vehicles to supply water [to buildings located] in narrow lanes. We are exploring all options, including cloud seeding. We are also talking to manufacturers designing technology to produce water from humidity.
What happened to the desalination plants the government was planning to build on the East Coast Road?
A desalination plant with a capacity of 210 MLD (million litres per day) is in operation now, and another one with a capacity of 150 MLD will start working shortly. With financial assistance from JICA , we are installing a plant with a capacity of 400 MLD. Water can be expected from the third desalination plant by the end of next year.

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