As Tamil Nadu reels from severe water shortage, a Rajya Sabha member on Wednesday highlighted the plight of the people saying "gold is cheaper than water" in state capital Chennai.
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During a short duration debate in the Upper House on water crisis in the country, T.K. Rangarajan of the CPI(M) said Chennai is the first Indian city "to have gone dry" with the Central Water Commission reporting a rainfall deficit of 41 per cent in Tamil Nadu till June 13 this year.
"Most of the Chennai population today depends on water tankers, municipal supply and private supply for drinking water. A tank of private water costs more than one gram of gold. Now gold is cheaper in Chennai than water. This is the truth," Rangarajan said.
He claimed that IT sector employees have been asked to work from home and several restaurants have shut down in the state. Rangarajan said the neighbouring states also have a responsibility to save Chennai.
D. Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) said Tamil Nadu is passing through unprecedented water crisis, with people agitating and unrest prevailing in the state. He said Chennai is facing severe drinking water crisis and the Centre should ensure water-related disputes are resolved.
Raja said that the time has come for the government to try and evolve a national consensus on interlinking of rivers.
