Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Open Letter to Honourable Minister Sri. S. P. Velumani - Municipal Administration and Water Supply Minister of Tamil Nadu

Respected & Honourable Sri Velumani Sir,

As a Citizen of Chennai, I am not only surprised but shocked to see your interview to the Media yesterday.    Your statement that the 'Water Crisis' in Chennai is a rumour is unfortunately biggest humour coming from a Minister of your stature.    We understand and appreciate the measure taken by you and your esteemed Government of Tamil Nadu.   But kindly also look beyond your posh Ministerial Bungalows and Homes, that will never have the scarcity that will scare you as you wake up every morning.

Dear Sir,  I may not be super intellectual citizen, but definitely not a fool who will believe in the fabricated media news or every whatsapp forward.   The brutal truth is that I am a citizen who is for sure effected by the Water Scarcity in the city and I will tell you my own example. 

I live in a colony which is just adjacent to 'Meteorological Department Meenambakkam,  few kilometers from Chennai Airport,  less than a kilometer from the Metro Station and GST Road and 200 meters away from Nanganallur Railway Station.   Ironically, the owners of the colony were mostly retired Municipal Employees and Teachers.   The fact is that we diligently pay for the metro water taxes, respecting the law of the land and even kept quite when the Water Tax bill multiplied 4 times this year.  But for a fact, that it has been more than 2 years that our Colony has got the Metro Water.   Palar vandhu pallla varudangal agivithathu sir!

Today, the ground water is dried up.  Our motors happily send us Air and don't respond.  200 feet bore-wells are too much strained.  The local hotels Trident and Radisson have borewells measuring more than 500 Feet,  don't know how much we will brutally rip our Mother Earth.    House Wells are a thing of the past!  We have them to showcase our next generations that we once had them abundantly.   Rain Water Harvesting is done in every house.  Unfortunately Rain Gods show no mercy in our city!

Last couple of weeks, we have been victims of unscrupulous business but they are our God's now.  Yes, the local freelance Water Tank Water Sellers!   Initially we were paying Rs.700 for 2000 liters last year, this year, it started with 1200 for 2000 liters and went up to Rs 1700 and yesterday, we had to shell out Rs 2300/- for 2000 liters of Water.  The man who distributes contributes it to his side of sober story of going far beyond Vandalur, in the midnight and standing in queue to get his share of water and then paying touts in uniform couple of hundreds before he reaches us!  We can't blame him.  For now, he is our God.  Or else, we have no water for cooking, washing and sadly even for washrooms!

My metro water booking made online on 4 June is yet to come!  Don't even know when it will come and will ease our situation...today is 18 June....

I appreciate you talking about mindful consumption!   But was the Government Mindful after the 2015 floods when we had to let gallons of water to the Sea.  Why were steps not taken to keep our water bodies ready to preserve the same?   Why are lakes and water beds given for construction and who approved this?   

Sir, I work for an IT Company.  Working from home is a privilege some enjoy due to certain obligations like ill health,  post maternity care and odd shifts.   But the IT companies working in the OMR asking employees to work from home is a TRUTH.  It is not a Rumour!  Please check the facts

If the situation is not scary, why are the Metro Railway Stations Bathrooms closed for Public and kept the board saying 'No Water'?  May be you should take the train once sir!  Anyway our other bus stands and local railway stations don't even have toilets..so forget about the water problem!

Coming to the special services your Department is providing in this hour of need.   Sending Water Tankers.  Absolutely divine call of duty and appreciate it.  However,  do you know what time they come?   Have you taken your car and went around 2 am in the morning...That's when people in Triplicane, Royapettah, T. Nagar, Nanganallur, Pammal, Mount,  Porur, Sowcarpet,  Saidapet and Mylapore and all areas queue up around the tankers to get the water.   And it is the same case in most of the places.   Many times they come at 12 noon or 3 pm, where most of us are at work!  They don't have a pattern or timing that they follow and we don't blame them.  Just telling you our part of the story!

Next, are you even aware that they charge you somewhere between Rs.10 to Rs 15 per pot as they come to distribute ...the Road adjacent to our colony, which has mostly daily wage labourers living...and they/we shell out Rs 100- 200 for 10-20 pots of water every 4th or 5th day when they get a chance to get water when the tanker comes...but  if this is Government Distribution System..why is not free or who is taking this money?

My Recommendation dear Minister,  please for a week,  let us swap our houses.  My home is comfortable to live, except that you have to wait for the water tanker... and I will be in your home to feel what you felt when you gave that press statement yesterday. 

Nextly, please put up Water Bunks - Like Petrol Pumps...we will pay what ever nominal charges government asks and buy it in for our consumption.   No taxes, no water tanks, no questions asked.   You supply for our demand ....

I now know that our Social Teacher was wrong when she taught us in school that natural resources like, water, air , mountains are Free.  Probably today, they are the most costliest commodities in the world.   If at all the next World war comes, it will start because of consumable water scarcity!

Thank you dear Minister...I am not sure if you will get to read this..but if you do, kindly do something for us - ordinary Chennai Citizens before this city becomes another Cape Town...atleast Cape Town revived with the best practices and now out of the situation..but with a 1.5 crores of population, it is not easy for Chennai to come out of this...unless you show mercy or Rain Gods do!

Thank you

Umasree Raghunath

Other Links for your reference

https://www.thequint.com/news/environment/chennai-water-crisis
https://www.ndtv.com/topic/water-crisis
https://factly.in/drinking-water-availability-india-how-far-rural-indian-travels-everyday-fetch-drinking-water/
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tamil-nadu-water-crisis-chennai-all-you-need-to-know-1550915-2019-06-18
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48672330
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/chennai-hotels-battle-severe-water-crisis-1560830100325.html

And lot more if you do a bit of factual analysis..I am sure your team can help with that!

Chennai - Pic taken from Internet




12 comments:

Shilpa said...

I wish he reads this and something is done . Even we live in nanganallur and we too dont have water . We buy disposable plates and glass . Water doesnt come in any way . What to do . We stopped the servant because she needs water obviously to clean the house . But with the water we get we pour it for the plants so that it doesnt die ( Atleast a glass of water ) . Let's hope for the best

Shilpa said...

I wish he reads this and something is done . Even we live in nanganallur and we too dont have water . We buy disposable plates and glass . Water doesnt come in any way . What to do . We stopped the servant because she needs water obviously to clean the house . But with the water we get we pour it for the plants so that it doesnt die ( Atleast a glass of water ) . Let's hope for the best

Anonymous said...

Oh wow.. Such an excellent explanation of today’s situation, ministers are elected to help people , where in , in today’s world its not happening. I also live in Nanganallur. Not only water , we have electricity issues as well. hope god shows us some mercy.

Unknown said...

Dear Miss. Uma sree,
Your statement is VOICE of Chennai, and your notification is too bold and fact but our Ministers always makes funny. Anyway we are supporting to you.

Unknown said...

Dear Miss. Uma sree,
Your statement is VOICE of Chennai, and your notification is too bold and fact but our Ministers always makes funny. Anyway we are supporting to you.

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Jeffrey J J said...

Writing to an insensitive government is not going to resolve our problems. Let's plunge into the battle field.
Let’s Join Hands to Harvest Water!!!!
I am not from Chennai, but request anyone from Chennai to take the lead in this mobilization to harvest water for the coming years and awakening of all concerned.
We read of acute shortage of water in Tamilnadu especially in Chennai. From media reports, the government didn’t take sufficient measures to either store water from the previous rainy season or taken measures to harvest water from the upcoming rainy season. Opposition parties contented with accusing the government of inaction.
Sad and unfortunate to note that all are busy finger pointing instead of acting to mitigate the present water scarcity and harvest water as and when it rains. We humbly request to stop this blame-game, and embark on direct action to harvest the rainwater in the coming months. Let’s start a social media campaign to mobilize a strong task force to work on the ground to undertake measures to harvest water. During the weekends, let’s organize voluntary action program to undertake the following:
1. Mobilize earth moving equipment such as excavators, dumpers from the various contractors for this program.
2. Use this equipment to desilt, strengthen the banks of the canals and waterbodies especially temple tanks (whatever remains) in our localities.
3. Request and help private citizens to clean the rain harvesting structures in their premises.
4. To create rain harvesting pits using building debris etc in public spaces to ensure recharge of the ground water by preventing the wasteful flow of water to the sea.
5. To collect mainly plastic garbage and deposit them in Corporation Garbage bins to avoid these blocking the free flow of water to the waterbodies.
Let’s remember the mobilization that took place during Jalikattu / Chennai Floods. If we unite, we can do it. Let’s do it to create an awareness to harvest water, highlight the governmental failure more prominently, and a different form of action-oriented protest rather than just mouthing words.
Hope someone take up this challenge!!!!!

Unknown said...

Water problem needs to be addressed on waardoor basis..

Karthikeyan said...

Everything is fine, but how he is accorded Sir for every sentence. Your notification and message is loud and clear, but if you had given some suggestions how this problem can be resolved, then it would have been even better...

Unknown said...

Very gud explanation considering the current situation wat people faced in Chennai.. hope the minister get to see this n do some thing for the voted people

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