NAGAPATTINAM: The district administration is installing as many as 2,863 hand pumps in six blocks
of Nagapattinam to cater to drinking water needs as work to restore power supply is likely to take some more time. Absence of power has made it impossible to pump water to overhead tanks and into the distribution system.
Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani while supervising work in Vadakkupoigainallur near Nagapattinam on Sunday, said, “Work is underway to install 2,863 hand pumps at a cost of Rs 2.41
crore. People should be able to get drinking water as they have been complaints of water tankers not able to supply them sufficiently in villages which are yet to get power supply restored.”
Hand pumps are being installed in 193 panchayat villages that include 980 hamlets in six blocks such as Nagapattinam, Vedaranyam, Thalaignayiru, Thirumarugal, Kilvelur and Keezhaiyur. Also, places that
already got electricity restored will also get hand pumps in the backdrop of complaints of lack of proper drinking water in feeding centres and lack of fuel to boil the water collected from water bodies.
Apart from hand pumps, 62 water tankers have been deployed to supply water. Also 96 generators have been set up to energise pumps in combined drinking water schemes.