Tuesday, September 13 2005 14:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The much awaited the desalination plant to meet the drinking water requirements of Chennai residents finally got a nod from the Tamil Nadu Government today (Sept 13, 2005), when it okayed the proposal of Infrastructures and Projects Ltd (IVRCL), Hyderabad, for setting up the plant, said to be biggest one of this type, at Minjur in Tiruvallur district.

Chennai Metroplitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) today signed an agreement with the company for the purchase of water produced by the plant, which would desalinate 100 MLD of seawater as drinking water.

Under the agreement, CMWSSB would provide 60 acres of land to the company, which would receive technical co-operation from Befesa Construccion Tecnoloogia Ambiental, Spain, considered being the world leaders on reverse osmosis technology.

The IVRCL had to achieve financial closure and obtain statutory and other clearances and complete the project within 15 months thereafter, an official press release said.

CMWSSB would be purchasing desalinated water for 25 years from the date of commercial operation, the release added.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at Secretariat this morning.