The Hindu : `Study found well water contaminated'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 21, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

`Study found well water contaminated'

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 20. A test on the quality of well water conducted by the Kerala Water Authority has revealed that the water in 28 per cent wells contain elements of iron, chloride, fluoride, nitrate and arsenic beyond permissible limits, the Minister for Water Resources, T. M. Jacob, has said.

Mr. Jacob said in reply to the questions of Loudi Louis, M.K. Paulson Master, Varkala Kahar and M. Murali that as many as 10,037 samples of well water were collected for the test and these elements were found in 2,829 samples, which forms 28 per cent.

In reply to a question from V. K. Chandran on free supply of drinking water to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Mr. Jacob said that drinking water cannot be supplied free of cost to any section. The Jala Nidhi scheme, which is now being implemented in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur and Palakkad, would be extended all over the State, he told Thamapanoor Ravi.

The Government has apprised the State Planning Board of its stance that the local bodies institutions should be allowed to spend money from the Plan funds for implementing the Jala Nidhi scheme. The cost of one kilolitre of water under this scheme would cost Rs.4, he said.

There is no proposal to levy cess from domestic consumers. The Government has found that the water sources in Malampuzhave been diverted to Tamil Nadu. If any unauthorised check dams are found on the State border, it would be demolished, Mr. Jacob said.

Land for LNG terminal

The Power Minister, Kadavoor Sivadasan, told T.K. Devakumar, Thomas Isaac, and Saju Paul that 40 hectares of land of the Cochin Port Trust has been identified for setting up the LNG terminal. An agency has been selected for setting up the terminal. The Government is not aware of any attempt to thwart the proposal, he said.

The Government would examine the possibility of lifting load-shedding during the examination season.

Load-shedding cannot be lifted completely as the water level is too low in the reservoirs. In reply to a question on the disconnection of power connections in Government offices for defaulting power charge, Mr. Sivadasan said that the power supply will not be resumed without clearing the dues.

Luxury cars

The Tourism Minister, K.V.Thomas, said in a written reply that the Tourism Department would buy 21 luxury cars for Rs.1.59 crores. This includes 13 Ford Ikons, seven Toyota Corollas and one Skoda Octavia. Now the department has 120 vehicles the maintenance of which cost Rs.1.53 crores, Prof.Thomas said.

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