The Hindu 28.12.2010
FACT to continue water supply scheme in Eloor municipality
Staff Reporter
Scheme to be continued for another year
16 lakh litres of water supplied a day
KOCHI: The Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT) will
continue its water supply scheme in Eloor municipality for one more
year. The scheme was set to expire on January 15.
The decision was taken following an assurance given by the Kerala
State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) at a meeting convened by the board
on Monday that it would collect the dues owed by three other public
sector companies associated with the scheme to FACT.
KSPCB also promised steps to ensure prompt contribution by the
companies towards the scheme in future as well, FACT sources said.
Meanwhile, Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has been asked to speed up
the commissioning of its new water supply scheme, enabling it to
eventually replace the FACT scheme, KSPCB sources said.
Under the scheme launched two years ago, FACT with the support of
Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL), Indian Rare Earths Limited (IRE),
and Merchem had been supplying about 16 lakh litres of water a day
benefitting 3,000-odd households in Eloor municipality. The
understanding had been to continue this arrangement till January 15,
after which the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) would take over and source
the water.
FACT sources said that the scheme costs Rs.5 lakh a month, which was
to be shared equally between the four participating companies. However,
the other three participating companies collectively ran up a total
arrears of Rs.27.83 lakh, they said. This forced FACT to consider
discontinuing the scheme after the cut-off date of January 15.
FACT had indeed written to the KSPCB and Eloor municipality to
relieve it of the responsibility of supplying water. This prompted the
KSPCB to convene the meeting to discuss the issue.
With KWA unable to replace the scheme in the prevailing
circumstances, there was no other alternative but to urge FACT to
continue the service.
KWA would be able to replace the FACT scheme only on commissioning
its Goshree Islands Development Authority-backed water supply scheme
meant for Varapuzha and Kadamakudy by sourcing water from Muppathadam.
Administrative sanction had been received for the scheme and now the
works remain to be awarded.
Once the project is completed, it would enable KWA to use the water
being pumped from Kalamassery under the Kochi water supply scheme
exclusively for Eloor. Right now the water from Kalamassery is being
split between Eloor and Varapuzha leaving both regions short of drinking
water, sources said.
The meeting was attended by representatives of KSPCB, KWA, Eloor municipality, and four participating companies.
