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Stir threatened over water shortage

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Greater Cochin Drinking Water Protection Committee has threatened to launch an agitation if the authorities fail to provide drinking water to west Kochi by August 20. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, committee president V.C. James, vice-president K. Madhavan Pillai and general secretary T.E. Thomas said there was a move to attribute the water scarcity in the city to the non-availability of water from the present drinking water sources. This charge was baseless, they said. The committee also found fault with the proposal to set up desalination plants.

Mr.James said the committee had approached the Court, which had directed the authorities to provide drinking water to west Kochi within the stipulated time of six months. The agitation plan was being drawn up in this context, he said. Though the HUDCO project envisaged laying of 40 km. of pipeline, work has been completed only on a stretch of 23 km. Between 2000 and 2005, tenders were invited for laying pipes for the 10.5 km. stretch between Nirmala School and Palarivattom, but the tenders were rejected without assigning reasons.

He said the contract awarded in 2002 for laying the 6.1 km. pipeline from Kathrikkadavu to Konthuruthi was cancelled by the Water Authority in February 2006. Uncertainty continues to prevail over the project.

Only the first stage of the DFID water supply scheme envisaging an expenditure of Rs.17.6 crores was inaugurated and it was not known whether the remaining stages would be taken up. The plan to set up desalination plants was being projected as the alternative by various party leaders, but these are very costly and would be unaffordable to the consumer, according to the committee.

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