KOLLAM: Drinking water crisis intensified in Kollam district with two major drinking water projects including Japan drinking water project and Jalanidhi proving to be a failure in catering to the needs of the people.
The public in drought affected areas of the district including Chavara, stand in long queues under the scorching sun, for water supply in tankers. The pumping from Sasthamkotta Lake has been limited to alternate days which has also affected life in the city.
The acute water shortage in Chavara area is apparently due to stoppage of local water sources including tube wells and the government promoting only mega projects like the Japan and Jalanidhi projects.
“We have laterite soil here which supports tube wells and which will be sufficient to meet the local needs. The mega projects have altered the system in Thekkumbhagom, Panmana, and Chavara areas,” V.K. Madhu-soodanan, a local resident and environmental acti-vist, told this newspaper.
The Jalanidhi project spans across the Chavara and Panmana areas. Meanwhile the Green Tribunal in Chennai had ordered the KMML to provide water in the polluted areas of Panmana caused by the factories with the KMML. However, the public allege that they are not provided with adequate quantity of water. Several protests were also conducted by public including seizing the KMML MD.
“The scarcity of water from Sasthamkotta Lake affected the water distribution in the Chavara area as pumping was limited to alternate days. The revenue department has arranged water tankers to distribute water.
The KWA supplies water to the distribution tanks from Oachira treatment plant also,” D. Bijeesh, assistant executive engineer, KWA, told this newspaper. However, he said that while KWA pumps water to overhead tanks, it was the responsibility of Jal-anidhi to distribute water.
