THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The works in the Kerala Water Authority have ground to a halt as the contractors have not been paid their arrears which come to around Rs 500 crore. Currently, the contractors are undertaking only minor repair works fearing that their bills will not be paid on time.
The Kerala Government Contractors Association has urged Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas to take up the issue with Finance Minister Dr. T. M. Thomas Isaac and release the dues. The contractors have been waiting for a part of the dues to be cleared for the last six months.
Earlier this week, the finance ministry released Rs 27 crore and Rs 15 crore to clear the dues to KWA and NABARD respectively. Mr Varghese Kannampally, president of KGCA, told DC that this was insufficient. He also alleged that no lobbying was being done to get more central funds for Kuttanad package, Kerala Land Development Corporation Ltd etc.
“Currently, we are doing only minor repair works like pipe burst and leaks in busy intersections or else the dues will shoot up. The finance minister told us last week that he will do the needful once the budget is presented,” said Mr. Kannampally.
Mr Ajit Patil, managing director of KWA, is banking on the budget to clear the pending dues. He also lamented the falling central budget allocation for various projects. “If earlier Rs 131 crore was allocated to the state towards National Rural Drinking Water programme, it has now been reduced to Rs 60 crore,” said Mr. Patil.
He also informed that '100 crore has been allocated towards NABARD. Allocations are still open for Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) under the ministry of urban development and eight districts in the state have got the benefits, he said.
