Drinking water scheme for Kudankulam villages

Chennai: The state government propo­sed on Saturday an integrated drinking water project that would benefit villages surrounding the Kudankulam nuclear power plant.

A release from the secretariat said that chief mi­nister J. Jayalalithaa had passed orders to execute the proposed Rs 68.10 crore integrated drinki­ng water scheme which wo­uld benefit 13 village panchayats in Tir­une­lv­eli district.

The water scheme will depend on Tamirabarani river and benefit 100 rural dwellings. To ens­ure periodic supply of piped drinking water, administrative approval for Rs 87 lakh would also be provided as annual ma­intenance for the pro­ject. The project will en­sure 55 litres per capita water consumption in the project area, the rele­ase said.

The state government, over the past two years, has inaugurated two ma­jor drinking water projects including the Hoge­nakkal integrated drinking water scheme, benefiting residents of Dha­rmapuri and Krishn­a­giri.

It may be noted that in 2012, government had an­no­unced a Rs 500 crore assistance package for social development of areas in and around the Kudankulam nuclear power project.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister also pas­sed orders to provide relief to three families who lost their dear ones due to electrocution. A release said that Rs 1 lakh each would be provided to bereaved family members under the chief minister’s relief fund.