THOOTHUKUDI: The State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd., (SIPCOT) has been planning to create its own water source for industrial units within its industrial parks, which is now being supplied by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) board.
"Works are on to prepare a water security plan engaging IIT, Chennai," said J Kumaraguruparan, managing director of SIPCOT. The plan is aimed at making all 19 SIPCOT run industrial parks in the state, self-sufficient in water by completely avoiding getting water from TWAD board. This is expected to bring down the pressure on drinking water supply by the TWAD board, said the SIPCOT MD, who also added that around 150 major and minor tanks within SIPCOT land would be renovated to hold rain water.
Establishing desalination plants to ensure soft water supply to the industrial parks, SIPCOT has been exploring possibilities of using recycled sewage water for industrial purposes.
Responding to the growing public resentment against supplying water to industries under the 20 MGD scheme in Thoothukudi, Kumaraguruparan said that SIPCOT is to set up a desalination plant with a production capacity of 60 million litres per day (MLD) at a cost of Rs 634 crore.
The detailed project report (DPR) for the project has been approved and the tender is to be floated for the construction of the project in the next couple of months.
The project, according to Thoothukudi Collector Sandeep Nanduri is expected to be commissioned by 2021.
"The SIPCOT-run industrial park at Thoothukudi which has a daily requirement of 21 MLD of water every day, will get its full requirement from this desalination plant," said the SIPCOT MD, who also added that the rest of the 39 MLD of water would be given to industries outside the SIPCOT industrial park at commercial rates.
