THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Illegal sand-mining at the Aruvikkara reservoir - the city's only source of drinking water - is seriously affecting the activities of the two filtration plants located there and may in the long run even pose a threat to their structural stability.

Sources in the Kerala Water Authority told The Hindu that the mining is being done from near the 72-mld and 82-mld plants at the reservoir. At least 10 to 15 lorry-loads of sand are being taken away from the reservoir on a daily basis.

As a result, the sources pointed out, the turbidity of the water near the intake wells of the filtration plants is on the rise. Very soon, this may result in the increased use of chemicals to counter this turbidity resulting in a huge revenue loss to the KWA. This may also have an adverse impact on the quality of drinking water being piped to the city, the sources said.

The executive engineer in charge of Aruvikkara V. Chandran had written to the District Collector about two weeks ago urging his intervention to put an end to the mining activity. According to sources, this is the latest in a series of letters written over the last four to five years by various KWA officials to the district authorities. "We are powerless to stop this mining. We don't even want to try as this lobby has the backing of local goondas," a KWA engineer said. Mr. Chandran told The Hindu here that though the turbidity value of the raw water at Aruvikkara is hovering around 10 at the moment - a condition that does not necessitate the adding of chemicals - continued sand-mining would definitely pose a threat to the filtration activities at the reservoir.

According to the KWA sources, field engineers have for long pointed out to the authority top brass that if sand-mining is officially allowed at Aruvikkara and at Pepppara, the KWA could earn revenue worth crores of rupees. "More than at Aruvikkara, de-silting is required at Peppara. That reservoir storage capacity has been reduced by at least 40 percent over the years due to silt. So, if controlled mining is allowed there will be a mad rush for this pristine river sand. Mining can also be allowed at Aruvikkara to a lesser extent. But the higher-ups in the authority have either not taken this up seriously or have not briefed the Government Secretary concerned properly. The result is unabated illegal sand-mining," a KWA engineer said. The KWA, for its part, does not have any plans to initiate de-silting operations at both reservoirs for want of funds.

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