KOZHIKODE: Drinking water is a major election issue in Perambra like in many other constituencies in Kozhikode. With the contest getting tight between Mr T.P. Ramakrishnan of the CPM, Mr Muhammed Iqbal of the Kerala Congress (M) and Mr Sukumaran Nair of the BDJS, the LDF has made it a campaign tool differently from the others. For the past two months, their workers have been distributing drinking water in almost all the panchayats from 7 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.
The DYFI area committees are leading the drive on their particular premises.
“Supplying drinking water in a constituency has nothing to do with campaigning. An elderly man in our area, Mundayilkuni Balakrishnan, is ready to pump water to any number of houses. We had supplied drinking water in the past two years too,” said Shimjith, one of the volunteers.
They ensure that all the water tanks have CPM label on them and the lorries that carry them have DYFI banners. According to the volunteers, they supply nearly 25,000 litres of water every day in small pockets. Storage tanks are placed in small junctions for the people to collect water. Drinking water scarcity is a burning issue in Perambra, admits NDA candidate Sukumaran Nair.
However, he asks why they are making it a show instead of constructing proper pipeline system. “The MLA (Kunhammed Master of the CPM) could have ensured proper supply of drinking water in his constituency with the same fund. Why make people queue up with utensils in the hot summer. These are just campaign gimmicks,” he said.
