Over half RO plants in three TN districts defunct: CAG

Chennai: More than half of RO plants installed to provide safe drinking water in three Tamil Nadu districts are defunct, CAG audit of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has found. Of the 297 RO plants installed between 2019 and 2021 in Ramanathapuram, Viluppuram and Salem, 165 were non-functional. Ramanathapuram had the highest number, with 85 of its 130 plants defunct, followed by Salem with 53 of 121 and Viluppuram with 27 of 46. The plants were installed in rural areas to address water quality problems, particularly in locations with non-potable, salty, or brackish water. The JJM guidelines state that water-stressed areas should be given priority and that such plants should have proper post-installation operation and maintenance systems. The audit also found that the dates of installation and when they became non-functional were not documented. 'The absence of such crucial details indicates gaps in record-keeping and documentation process. This not only hinders effective monitoring and maintenance of the RO plants but also raises concerns about the overall management and accountability in the implementation of the project,' the report said. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chennai | Silver Rate in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai | Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Petrol Price in Chennai | Diesel Price in Chennai | CNG Price in Chennai | LPG Price in Chennai Stay updated with the latest Chennai news. Download the TOI App.