In an attempt to tackle the severe water crisis in Chennai, the government of Tamil Nadu has sanctioned Rs 233 crore for getting water projects in the city up and running.

In the review meeting held in the Secretariat on Friday, which saw the participation of a slew of higher officials including the Minister for Municipal Administration and Water Supply SP Velumani, the government allocated money to tap more water from the available sources in the outskirts of the metro city. After the meeting, SP Velumani said that the CMWSSB was supplying 525 MLD of water at present and despite the drought conditions it would supply at least 500 MLD from June to November, when the monsoons are expected to arrive.

The meeting comes at a time when the water levels in the storage tanks that supply to Chennai are abysmally low.

The cumulative storage in all four reservoirs that supply water to Chennai is 11,257 mcft. The water level on Friday stood at  a cumulative level of 65 mcft, which is 0.58% of the total capacity.

This is in sharp contrast to the water level on the same day last year, when the water levels were well above 2,000 mcft.

At present, the two desalination plants at Nemmeli and Minjur supply 100 MLD of water each. Water is also tapped from stone quarries in Sikkarayapuram to the extent of 30 MLD and soon quarries in Erumaiyur will also join the supply.

Works are also underway to bring water from Retteri, Ayanambakkam and Perubakkam tanks and also to tap water from 126 borewells in the city’s periphery. The minister also said that a a work order for a third desalination plant at Nemmeli with a capacity of 150 MLD was issued on May 25.