The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Statistics KWA would like to forget

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Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Statistics KWA would like to forget

Staff Reporter

51 major pipe bursts in city after LDF came to power

Old pipes, extra pressure on pumps due to frequent power disruptions to blame
HDPE pipes laid under the JBIC scheme burst at 41 places: Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 51 pipe bursts and leakages have occurred in the main distribution and pumping lines that are more than 200-mm wide in the capital after the LDF government came to power.

Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran stated this in a written reply to a question by V. Sivankutty in the Assembly on Monday.

The Minister said extra pressure due to the sudden stoppage of the pump due to the frequent disruption in power supply in the pump house along with the old pipes were the reasons for the bursts. The main pipe bursts happened at Kummi, Irumpa, Chitharakunnu bridge, Irumpa market, Kumi Kavu, Peroorkada, Vazhayila, Aruvikkara water supply office, Manvila, Ambalamukku, Vayalar Ramavarma Square Vellayambalam, near Keltron Vellayambalam, Vayalikada, Sasthamangalam, Edvacode, Vazhuthacaud, opposite Trivandrum Club and opposite DGP’s office.

Thycaud, Attakulangara-Kothalam road, Amabalathara-Poonthura road, Balavan Nagar, MLA road Manacaud, Thakaraparambu road, Thirumala-Plavila, Thirumala school, Mudvanmughal south, Thirumala mosque, Puthenkada junction and Seventh Day School at Thirumala also witnessed pipe bursts.

The Minister said pipe bursts were reported five times near the Kundamankadavu bridge, three times each on Kochar road, Murinajapalam, Kripa Threatre-Parthas road, twice on Kallatumukku and Kundamankadavu and Sankar Road in Sasthamangalam.

HDPE pipes

In addition, the High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) pipes laid under the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) scheme bust at 41 places in the city.

As many as 19 pipe bursts were on the 400-mm HDPE pipeline laid from Vayalikada to medical college through Chalakuzhi. Twelve pipe bursts were reported in Chalakuzhy and seven in Vayalikada and Muttada areas.

On the 315-mm HDPE pipe laid from observatory to medical college through Chalakuzhi and ayurveda college, two leakages were in Chalakuzhi area and four near Press Club, Plamoodu and the corporation office.

On the 250/225/180 mm HDPE line laid from Peroorkada to Mannanthala and Eruppukuzhi, Mr. Premachandran said that as many as 16 pipe bursts were reported between October 30, 2007, and May 8 this year.

Anti-theft squads

The Minister, in reply to another question, said steps had been taken by the Kerala Water Authority to prevent misuse and theft of drinking water. Four anti-theft squads had been set up in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

Peppara dam

In a written reply to another query, the Minister said the proposals under consideration for augmenting the storage capacity of Peppara Dam were downing shutters, de-silting and diverting water from Neyyar Dam to Aruvikkara Dam.

A study on siltation level at Peppara by the Kerala Engineering Research Institute pointed out that de-silting would not enhance the storage capacity of the dam in a big way as the silt was of a minor nature.

The Minister said diversion of water from Neyyar Dam to Peppara was not technically feasible.

Mr.Premachandran said there was no proposal to increase the height of Peppara Dam.

The proposal to close the four shutters that were six-metre long and to increase the water level from 104.50 metre to 110.50 metre was rejected twice by the Centre, he said.

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