CHENNAI: The Regional Empowered Committee of Union Environment Ministry has granted stage-1 clearance for construction of a desalination plant inside Koonimedu forest area in Villupuram district.

The decision was taken at a recently held meeting in Chennai. Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) will construct the plant in an area of 16 hectares.

Official documents available with Express shows it’s a plant with a capacity of 72.06 million litres per day (MLD) to cater to drinking water needs of 692 villages as well as the needs of the industries of nearby SIPCOT area.

(LINK).