New Delhi, 20 June (KNN) As Chennai is going through water crisis this summer, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and industries are dealing with the crisis by using the recycled water and the supply from local body. The problem of water crisis has badly hit the restaurants and food industries in the city, said city based industrialists.

Chennai is suffering from extreme water shortage as the groundwater level is continuously depleting in the absence of rain. The largest source of drinking water of Chennai, Chembarambakkam lake has been dried. Along with it, other reservoirs for the source of water, Cholavaram, Redhills, Poondi, and Hembarambakkam are also in the same state.

The shortage of water has hit IT companies, hotels and high rise residential buildings more effectively. Among the dried-up reservoirs is the Chembarambakkam Lake, Chennai’s largest source of drinking water. By the month of October-November, the northeast monsoon will arrive and till then required need will be met with groundwater sources.

 “To meet the water need of public, corporation of Chennai is trying hard and is able to supply up to 50 to 60 percent people. Water tankers are also used to supply in residential areas. Restaurants in the city have affected more and as they need more water to run the restaurants and due to continue distribution of water from tankers has led to insufficient supply to them’’, Dr D. Gandhikumar, from Coimbatore, Central Executive Committee  member of The Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) told KNN India.

In addition to this, “Central Chennai is under more stress. In outskirts of Chennai, there are IT companies, chemical, and other small industries are not under much shortage as they use recycled water from sewage treatment plant (STP) and remaining through local body supply. Some IT companies have directed their employees not to waste water unnecessarily to cooperate in management”, he added.

Talking to the KNN, Anburajan S, President of Tamilnadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA) said, “from last two to three months the shortage of water is going on but from last one month it has become a serious problem. Chennai and Kanchipuram are the most affected due to the water crisis. Chennai has a different sector of industries like the food industry, IT, Chemical, MSMEs, and others. Mostly food industries have affected more and IT companies are also suffering from the same situation. Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are not under much crunch as they are managing from the recycled water and the supply from local body’’.  

Shreya Tater, a resident of Vyasarpadi from Chennai said, “From last one month the water crisis has gone up and we are bound to get water from private water tankers. We get water supply for almost half an hour a day. In case of extra water, we have to take from private tankers which cost around Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000 per tanker which is double than Rs 3,000 in normal times’’.  (KNN/VS)