Worms in Drinking Water: Salem Corporation Scraps ₹4,315 Crore Private Tender
Salem Corporation Mayor A. Ramachandran on Monday announced the cancellation of a ₹4,315 crore tender awarded to a private company for round-the-clock drinking water supply, following allegations of poor water quality from councillors.
The tender, awarded in February, was meant to supply water to the city for 25 years. Opposition parties including AIADMK, CPI(M), CPI and VCK had opposed the move from the start, staging protests against privatisation of water supply.
During the monthly council meeting, councillors from DMK, AIADMK and VCK alleged that substandard water had been supplied to 60 wards, with reports of worms found in the water. They attributed the problem to poor chlorination. Councillor K.C. Selvaraj of Ward 22 said the presence of worms was unprecedented and claimed the water showed no smell of chlorination. He further alleged that over the past two years, the corporation had paid ₹36 lakh to ₹50 lakh every three months to a contractor for chlorine, and that officials had accepted bribes.
Mayor Ramachandran acknowledged receiving public complaints about worms. Corporation officials insisted the chlorine was of good quality and that water from Mettur Dam was tested before and after chlorination. Despite their defence, the council voted unanimously to cancel the tender, with all councillors raising their hands in support.
Earlier in the meeting, a separate incident disrupted proceedings. Deputy Mayor M. Saradha Devi (Congress) found no chair for her on the dais. After a chair was placed, she staged a walkout, alleging disrespect for not having her photo displayed alongside those of former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. Adding to the commotion, DMK councillors placed a photo of former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, while AIADMK councillors placed a photo of former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami in the hall.
The cancellation marks a significant reversal in the city's water management plans, with authorities now tasked with finding an alternative solution for long-term supply.
