Chennai: In a significant move towards mitigating water crisis in Chennai, Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Monday laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art desalination plant.
Pegged at an estimated cost of Rs 4,276.44 crore, the 400 Million Litres Per Day (MLD) desalination plant, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is set to become the largest desalination project for South-East Asia.
The foundation stone laying ceremony took place at the plant's proposed location in Perur on the East Coast Road in Chengalpattu district. With a focus on advanced water treatment technologies namely dissolved air flotation and dual media filtration, the plant aims to address the rising demand for clean drinking water in the region. The project is scheduled to be completed by December 2026.
The initiative is set to benefit approximately 22.67 lakh people living within the Greater Chennai and Tambaram municipal corporation, as well as the inhabitants of 20 neighbouring village panchayats near Chennai.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the project, Chief Minister M K Stalin asserting that it marks a crucial step towards resolving the water woes faced by the people of Tamil Nadu. Key dignitaries including minister for municipal administration K N Nehru, chief secretary Shiv Das Meena, and other senior government officials attended the event.
Tamil Nadu government's commitment towards addressing water crisis issue was underscored by updates on the ongoing and upcoming desalination plants. A 150 MLD extension to the Nemmeli desalination plant is currently underway that is expected to cater to the needs of an additional nine lakh people in various localities. Also, the existing 100 MLD Nemmeli plant is already supplying water to around nine lakh people while the 100 MLD Meenjur plant aims to cater to around 10 lakh people in northern Chennai areas.
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The proposed desalination plant signifies a pivotal step towards securing a sustainable water future for Tamil Nadu. As construction commences, hopes are high that this significant investment will alleviate the current water crisis and provide the much-needed relief to the residents.
