Led by Pannerselvam of Samooga Needhi Katchi protestors urged the government to withdraw the Suez 24/7 project, and urged the Corporation to stop removing existing drinking water pipelines at Ward 78 and 79.
Coimbatore: Ever since the agreement to hand over drinking water distribution in the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) to Suez Projects Private Limited (SPPL), or the Suez Group was signed in 2017 during the AIADMK regime, protests have been raging every now demanding to scrap the project and retain the old model of water supply by the City Corporation and TWAD board.
Urging the Corporation to withdraw the Suez project, protestors led by Pannerselvam, President of Samooga Needhi Katchi staged a demonstration in front of the District Collectorate here on Monday. They urged that existing drinking water pipelines across ward 78 and 79 of the Corporation be left untouched.
Pannerselvam urged the civic body to repeal the 26 years agreement with Suez India Private Limited. He said that removal of existing pipelines has cost enormous inconvenience to the people and it is a monumental waste of resources. Hence, the scrapping of the project and extending free and clean drinking water to residents of CCMC should be ensured, he urged.
A petition to the effect was also submitted to the Collector by the protestors.
It may be noted that the DMK government spear-headed several protests while in opposition against the Suez agreement, however when they resumed power, the DMK government decided to proceed with the scheme. And the the same was confirmed by the Minister for municipal administration KN Nehru, who clarified that the Suez water distribution project would not be scrapped.
As per the agreement, which was entered in 2018, the AIADMK government chose French firm Suez to distribute drinking water on 24X7 basis to every household in Coimbatore Corporation limits. The scope of the 400 million Euro (Rs 2972 Cr ) project includes optimization, rehabilitation and operation of the water distribution for to ensure continuous drinking water to the city for a period of 25 years.
The project would be part funded by the Union government through AMRUT, JNNURM and Smart Cities projects. Suez will draw water from Pillur and Siruvani dams. A sum of Rs 646 crore was allocated for the first phase in 2019 and work to lay pipeline is in progress.
“They are putting up resistance when Suez staff try to provide them new connections. They are scared that it would disrupt the water supply. We are doing our best to dispel their apprehensions and convince them that the water supply wouldn’t be getting affected" say the corporation officials.