The Hindu : Kerala News : Water shortage plagues Kasaragod

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Thursday, Mar 13, 2008
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Water shortage plagues Kasaragod

Staff Reporter

‘Infrastructure scheme not made use of’

Projects up to Rs.30 crore can be taken up
In summer drinking water supplied by corporation is saline

KASARAGOD: Acute shortage of drinking water is causing untold miseries to the people residing in Kasaragod municipality and the adjoining areas; but, the authorities concerned are turning a blind eye towards the problems of the public, office-bearers of the Kasaragod Peoples Forum has said.

At a press conference here on Wednesday, they said a large section of residents were not getting water through the public distribution system and had to depend on various other sources, including water supplied by the authorities in tanker lorries. Kasaragod municipal authorities seemed to be uninterested in implementing a permanent solution to the woes of the public, said E. Raghavan Nair, leader of the forum.

He pointed out that if the municipal authorities made use of the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns, the drinking water crisis in the municipality would end. But despite repeated pleas, the authorities had not taken the initiative. Projects up to Rs.30 crore could be taken up under the scheme. The Union government would provide 80 per cent of estimated cost as aid. The State government and municipality would have to share the remaining 20 per cent cost equally, said Mr. Nair.

The forum leaders said the drinking water supplied by the corporation had salinity during summer. That was because of intrusion of saline water at the upstream of the Chandragiri river, from where water was being drawn for distribution. This could be prevented by constructing a permanent barrage across the river, but no step had been taken to build it, the leaders said.

They commented that there were reasons to doubt that vested interests of some sections were scuttling attempts to find solution to drinking water shortage. The Forum leaders said they would stage a dharna before Kerala Water Authority Office premises, Vidya Nagar on March 15 from 10 a.m. demanding immediate steps for a permanent solution.

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