KOCHI: The severe water crisis at several areas of Kakkanad even before the peak of summer season is underlining the need for a new large-scale drinking water project in the city’s IT hub.
More than 10,000 families residing in houses and flats in Kollamkudimukal, Nilampathinjamukal, Idachira, Thudiyur, Chitethukara and Karimakkad regions which come under the eastern parts of Thrikkakkara municipality are reeling under sever drinking water shortage. The entire region of the municipality, where thousands of people are living in flats, is depending upon a single drinking water project at Olimukal and the demand is getting louder for setting up a new water project exclusively for the area.
Earlier, the municipality had proposed a second drinking water project in the area to bring in drinking water from the Kadambrayar river. But later it was abandoned after the municipal authorities found that the quality of water in the Kadambrayar was too bad to treat.
“Most of the families in the region are being forced to purchase water from tanker vehicles, for Rs 500 per 2,000 litre. We have been demanding a permanent solution for the issue for the past many months, but KWA authorities are turning a blind eye to this,” said Shyam Kumar, member of Pattupura residents’ association in the region. Vivek Rajan, native of Kollamkudi Mukal region of Kakkanad, said that many families are struggling to arrange the facility to store water, as it available only once in four days and the authorities should be ready to augment pumping time and force, at least as a temporary solution during this summer.
Meanwhile, Kollamkudimukal councillor Rasiya Nishad said that water crisis is directly affecting more than 10,000 families in the region and an additional drinking water project is the only solution for the issue.
She added that the municipality should rethink the project to bring in water from Kadambrayar by setting up a large-scale treatment plant.
