Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will hold video conference with Collectors on Wednesday to review the measures being taken in the wake of severe drought affecting the state. This was disclosed by Revenue Minister E Chandrashekharan at a press conference here. He said that 11000 water kiosks would be required to meet the drinking water shortage triggered by drought. He said the revenue department had arrived at the figure of following talks held with panchayts and inputs received from Collectors.
The process of finalising the contract for tanks of 3000-5000-10000 litre capacity will be finalised by January 31 and the money required for setting up kiosks would be handed over to the district. Mr Chandrashekharan said 142 villages spread across all districts were facing severe drinking water shortage following drought. The problem was worst in Ernakulam district followed by Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alapuzha. “I would be difficult to manage just with the summer showers till May and the drought situation is likely to get worse in the coming days,” he warned.
The minister said as on January 17, only 42 per cent water was remaining in the important dams in the state. There has been a steep fall in the ground water level according to reports furnished this month. Chandrashekharan who attend meetings in Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur to review drought situation, will hold similar meetings in the remaining districts in the coming days.
