An early end is in sight for the woes of Kochi city and its suburbs like Kalamassery and Eloor, which have been facing acute drinking water shortage for long. Non-stop drinking water supply is envisaged under an upcoming scheme.
Kerala Water Authority’s second steering committee meeting with the Ministry of Urban Development and Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) saw the approval coming for a Rs5,400 crore fund for augmentation of the Kochi water scheme. Nod has also been given for modernising, augmenting and rehabilitating water schemes in 22 municipalities.
Water resources minister P.J. Joseph had announced in the previous session of the assembly that Rs5,700 crore would be required for supplementing the water schemes as also for other maintenance works.
“Rs1,000 crore would be provided for the augmentation of water supply in the suburbs of Kochi by the MoUD and JICA and another Rs725 crore for Kochi city alone. Also, Rs125 crore would be set aside for 22 municipalities statewide,” KWA MD Ashok Kumar Singh, told DC.
A long-standing complaint of the KWA is that when a 30-year-period has been fixed for the lifecycle of a water project, replacement works have not been carried out. This is argued as being the reason for the acute drinking water shortage in the state with service levels being termed as poor.
Also, in view of the water shortage at Sasthamcotta Lake in Kollam district and Peechi dam in Thrissur district, KWA has decided to bring water from Thenmala and Chiimini dams respectively, which would also be done by projects under the MoUD and JICA.