All the areas in Vypeen, West Kochi, Kumbalam, Kumbalangi, Chellanam, the areas under the Palluruthy Assembly segment - Elamakkara, Vallarpadam, Mulavukad, Girinagar and Panampilly Nagar - and many areas in Tripunithura are reeling under water shortage.

After continued protests and strikes by the locals, the district administration along with the local bodies concerned has decided to supply drinking water through tanker lorries. Such a supply is far from meeting the demand, however.

Water theft which has become rampant in Kochi is another reason for the shortage.

The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) Anti-Theft Squad will conduct special checking from March 5 to 20 to investigate water theft, officials said. The public can avail the service of the Blue Brigade which has been floated by the KWA for checking water theft and water l e aka g e by calling 155313/ 9249120200.

The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) project for starting desalination projects in various places along the coastal belt reached nowhere owing to non-cooperation from the public.

The GCDA and other bodies concerned failed to create awareness among the public in this regard. Though such plants were installed at some places, they had to be closed down due to the huge running cost.

Almost all the areas in Kochi is suffering from drinking water shortage as well.

Drinking water has been the first and foremost demand by the residents of Vypeen island. It was as permanent solution to this problem that the HUDCO project was designed almost two decades back. The work of the project was interrupted many a time and after a long delay the project was commissioned last year.

But the public in the region is yet to gain from it due to lack of proper distribution system.

The KWA hasn’t been able to construct proper distribution system so far. Now the city is relying solely on pumping water from Aluva which is enough to meet only 40 percent of the total requirement.

The authorities have proposed an alternative-the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission scheme which envisages carrying 200 mld of water from Muvattupuzha river at Pazhoor to the city. The tender work of the project is almost complete. But it will take at least two years to complete the work.