Tamil Nadu has been reeling under water stress for the past several months

The Tamil Nadu government has told schools not to shut down after reports that some schools were turning away students amid a severe water scarcity in Chennnai.

The state education department said the schools have no reason to shut down as their operating permissions were given only after the managements assured that all basic needs were in place.

It's the responsibility of the schools to make alternate arrangements, officials said. The district officials have been told to take tough action if schools were found turning away students, sources said.

Workers of the opposition DMK also held a state-wide protest today to put pressure on the state government to bring relief to people from water scarcity. "What was this government doing all these days when such big problem had arisen? Yesterday, the Chief Minister spoke about bringing water to the city. Why was this not done earlier? The measures he announced yesterday, all of them should have been done in the earlier stages," former Chennai Mayor M Subramanian said, news agency ANI reported.

Tamil Nadu has been reeling under water stress for the past several months after four reservoirs including the Chembarambakkam lake -- the largest reached its lowest level. The scorching heat and delayed monsoon further worsened the situation.

On Friday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami said 10 million litres of water would be transported from Jolarpet in Vellore district by train. This initiative will be carried on for six months and will cost Rs 65 crore, he said.

The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board has been allocated Rs 158.42 crore for water distribution in the city, he said.

Agencies