Salem water supply: govt. says pact with private firm already signed
The Tamil Nadu government clarified that a contract with a private firm for Salem's water supply infrastructure remains valid, despite the Mayor's announcement of its cancellation. The project, valued at over ₹1,000 crore, aims to provide 24/7 drinking water over the next 25 years.
Why it matters
The conflict highlights administrative friction between local municipal bodies and state governments regarding major infrastructure projects.
Just ten days after Salem City Municipal Corporation Mayor A. Ramachandran announced the cancellation of a tender awarded to a private company to supply drinking water to the city’s residents round the clock, the State government clarified that the corporation and the company signed an agreement on June 19 to revamp the city’s water supply infrastructure.
It was in February this year that the corporation awarded the tender, worth ₹4,315 crore, to the private company to supply drinking water for a period of 25 years. The move had drawn much opposition from various political parties at that time.
During a council meeting on June 29, the Mayor announced the cancellation of the tender, but corporation officials did not provide any detail in this regard, creating confusion among the public.
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