KOLLAM: Chavara continues to experience severe shortage of drinking water despite the government launching a number of mega projects, including the Japan drinking water project and the Jalanidhi, a World Bank-assisted rural water supply and sanitation scheme. The people have to stand in long queues near public taps for water that is supplied for a small duration daily. On certain days, there is no supply also.
Recently, the residents of Puthenkovil and Thattasseri wards protested besieging Jalanidhi and panchayat authorities. The Jalanidhi authorities asked the panchayat to give its share for carrying out maintenance works along the Jalanidhi water distribution network. The panchayat authorities, however, demanded that the audit report of Jalanidhi project should be announced in the panchayat committee.
The people allege that they are not getting water even during the rainy season. A tubewell dug by the IRE at Thattasseri is not functioning as the KSEB authorities disconnected the electricity supply owing to non-payment of the bill. The water shortage in Chavara is apparently due to the stoppage of local water sources, including tubewells, and the government promoting only mega projects, it is said.
