After the Tamil Nadu government promised to grant licenses for drawing water to private water tanker owners in the next two days, the association called off the strike on Wednesday evening. Authorities also said that they will release the 25 tankers that were seized during last month by Friday.
This license will allow private tanker operators to extract groundwater and transport them. So far, groundwater was extracted by them without any permit as the government has not issued such licenses.
Around 20 licenses were given to a few tanker owners on Wednesday when two rounds of talks were held between collectors of Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chennai districts, Metro Water officials and members of Tamil Nadu Private Water Tanker Lorry Owners Association.
Association members said that collectors of the three districts promised to issue licenses to 10,000-odd drivers by Friday. "Concerned authorities told us that after 90 days licenses will be made permanent after conducting necessary inspections. Licenses will be given for borewell operators as well," said Nijalingam N, President of Tamil Nadu Private Water Tanker Lorry Owners Association.
The association caters to a major chunk of Chennai's population who do not get Metro Water supply. Under the association around 4,500 tankers operate across Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur and 15,000 tankers across the state.
The strike was announced over the seizure of the water tankers by police since many operated without licenses. The association members also alleged that many of the water tanker owners were booked under non-bailable sections of the IPC for not carrying a legal permit to draw groundwater and that was harassed by the police.
During a press meet on Wednesday, P Ponniah, collector of Kancheepuram district said 46 licenses will be granted to private tanker owners operating within the district in the next two days. Only tankers with capacities of 9,000 litres and 12,000 litres will be granted licenses, he said. "Once licenses are issued, the problem of tankers being seized by police will be resolved. Tanker owners will no longer be detained by police. 52 borewells also will be installed within the district soon for private tankers to draw water without any trouble," he added.
Meanwhile, residents had already started to feel the pinch as supply they received from private tankers on Tuesday night was fast running out. "Those who have rainwater harvesting structures fitted in their apartments are not badly affected yet. After last night's rain, we have 20,000 litres of water stored. But 30 percent of houses on OMR do not have this harvesting system and they are already struggling," said Harsha Koda, member of Federation of OMR Residents Association.