The Madurai Corporation has ramped up vigilance and monitoring at the civic body’s two intake wells at Vaigai dam to prevent illegal water tapping.
This decision was taken following last week’s surprise inspection by officials of the Corporation and Public Works Department (PWD), during which 25 motors were seized for illegal water tapping, said Corporation Commissioner S. Visakan.
Currently, water taken from Vaigai dam is stored at the two intake wells and then sent to the treatment plant at Pannaipatti. The treated water is then supplied to Madurai City through two pipelines.
Engineer S. Arasu, who was present during the inspection, said that farmers who undertook agriculture near the dam had installed motors and had engaged in illegal water tapping. “We found 25 motors and each of them had a capacity of 15 horsepower (HP). The farmers had even installed submersible well motors to tap water from the wells,” he said.
Then with the help of police personnel, the motors were removed, he added. “We also got a written acknowledgement from the farmers emphasising that they should not deploy any more motors in the future,” he said.
A Corporation engineer said following the removal of the motors, the water level in the intake wells had risen by 20 cm. “There has been a steady inflow of water into the wells,” said the engineer. He added that if the levels in the wells were lower, water would not reach the treatment plant and would cause shortage in supply of drinking water.
The Commissioner said that additional officials had been deployed near the wells to ensure round-the-clock monitoring.
