KOCHI: In an effort to streamline the supply of drinking water and to ensure proper treatment of sewage waste in the city, the corporation authorities are planning to bring both the services under the civic body’s control.
As of now, the Kerala water authority (KWA) is taking care of these services while the corporation spends crores of rupees to ensure adequate supply of water in the city limits.
There have been rampant complaints that the drinking water supply in the city is inadequate and improper.
“Besides the KWA’s supply, we also provide potable water through tanker trucks. Still, there are complaints regarding inadequate supply. So, it is high time we took urgent measures to rectify the flaws in the water supply,” mayor M Anil Kumar said.
“We are exploring the possibilities of bringing the supply of drinking water and sewage treatment under the corporation’s control. This will help address many problems which plague the water supply in the city,” Anil Kumar said. “All those who need water connections should register with the corporation. This will also ensure some revenue for the corporation,” he said.
The state government is deducting huge sums from the plan fund allocated to Kochi corporation as the local body failed to clear the arrears to the KWA. During 2018-19 fiscal alone, the government deducted Rs 16 crore from the corporation’s plan fund for paying the arrears to the KWA. As per the bill given by the KWA in 2019, the corporation has to pay Rs 75.94 crore towards water bills of public taps in the city. According to a survey conducted by the corporation authorities a couple of years ago, there are around 80 public water taps in each division. The KWA is charging the bills for even public water taps which had been defunct for years. The corporation has been defaulting the payment of KWA bills since 2001.
Moreover, the corporation is spending funds for supplying drinking water through tankers every year. “Now, the mayor has given anticipatory approval for paying the bills to the truck owners to the tune of Rs 2 crore. The amount being paid for supplying water through tanker trucks has gone up significantly,” opposition leader Antony Kureethra said.
UDF councillors V K Minimol, Deepthi Mary Varghese, M G Aristotle and A R Padmadas alleged that there are widespread anomalies in hiring the trucks.
As per the records with the corporation, bills for supplying drinking water are given to contractors even in the divisions where potable water is available. The councillors alleged that the corporation authorities are using the clause that there is no need for inspection by the finance committee once a project is tendered as a cover for committing fraud. The authorities cite high demand in certain areas as the reason for exorbitant bills given to the contractors, they said.
