The Hindu 10.01.2011
City goes dry as drinking water supply schemes get delayed
Drinking water shortage reported from many parts of the city
The stalemate regarding the implementation of a few drinking water
supply projects for Kochi city and adjoining areas continues even as
many parts of the city have gone dry.
It may take some more time to end the deadlock regarding
the Piravam water supply scheme, which is expected to address the
drinking water needs of the city. The pipelines for the water supply
scheme could not be laid as opposition arose to the cutting open of a
busy road in Piravam. A few meetings held earlier had failed to end the
impasse. The Kochi corporation, the beneficiary of the scheme, has been
persuading the authorities for an early settlement of the issue.
The water supply scheme, which is being implemented with
the support of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission,
aims at bringing water from the Muvattupuzha River to the corporation
areas, which will help in reducing the dependence on water from the
Periyar.
“The authorities have been asked to study the
feasibility of laying the pipelines along an alternative route by
avoiding the newly tarred road,” said M. Vijayakumar, Minister for
Public Works. The decision to study the feasibility of an alternative
route was taken at the last meeting held to end the impasse. A final
decision regarding the route would be taken after obtaining the
feasibility report, he said.
As the uncertainty regarding the Piravam project
continues, the civic authorities felt that the pumping of drinking water
from the Aluva pump house of the Kerala Water Authority should be
increased to meet the water demands of Kochi city and the adjoining
areas. Drinking water shortage is acute in some parts of the city,
including Kuvapadam, Chakkamadam, Aanavathil and Jew Street areas.
The corporation was supplying drinking water in tanker
lorries to areas, from where water shortage was reported, said T.K.
Ashraf, chairman, health standing committee of the Kochi corporation.
The corporation has initiated the paper works for
inviting tenders for supplying drinking water in tanker lorries during
the next fiscal. The contract for the current fiscal would end in March.
The paper works for the next financial year were initiated in advance
as notification for the Assembly polls may be issued in March or April.
Once the notification is issued, it would not be possible to invite
tenders for such schemes and it may affect the supply of drinking water.
The proposal inviting tenders would come up for discussion at the next
meeting of the corporation council, Mr. Ashraf said.
Government’s support and intervention were required for
the completion of the water supply scheme for West Kochi, which was
supported by the UK Department for International Development, and the
project for giving water to Palluruthy area using financial assistance
from HUDCO, he said.
