KOCHI: When we think of Kerala and particularly of Kochi there’s a popular belief that water is aplenty. Beliefs apart, it is a paradoxical-ground-reality that Kochi is one of the worst affected cities in the country when it comes to potable water both in terms of quantity and quality.The water authorities agree that the city, in fact, needs 400 million litres of water a day. However, the available quantity is 230 million litres a day. And the Kerala Water Authority is struggling to plug the demand-supply gap.Many parts of Ernakulam district continue to reel under acute water shortage, and the ones who are hard hit are the people of Thevara, Perumanur, Konthuruthy and other areas. In fact, the residents have been agitating for a long time for stable supply of potable water. “Though the problem was notified to the water authority many a time, no one seems to listen,” said Gracy Antony, councillor, Konthuruthy.Thevara, Perumanur, Konthuruthy areas get water from Ernakulam-Perumanur pump house. From the same source water is supplied Cochin Port, Naval Base and Cochin Shipyard also. Earlier water was supplied to Thevara, Perumanur and Konthuruthy from 5 am to 4 pm. “But nowadays the supply is cut by 11 am. But water is being supplied to other areas,” said C K Peter, former councillor, Thevara Development Committee (TDC). After protests were organised the Executive Engineer promised an increase in the duration of supply. The promise was carried out only for a week.The major pipe line to these places was laid over 50 years ago. “There were only 1,000 houses then. Now there are over 10,000 thousand families, including those living in over 25 apartments. With the increase in population the volume of water supply has not been increased,” said C K Peter.In 2008 under the HUDCO project a pipe line was laid through Konthuruthy. After long protests an interconnection from the Thammanam-Perumanur pipe line was sanctioned, and Rs 4 crore was allotted for the project. But nothing has been done so far. In 2009, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) project Rs 201 crore was allotted to the Kochi Corporation under the drinking water project. The committee went on a continuous protest to get a linkage from the pipe line from Pazhur to Chellanam.The linkage line was laid to Thevara water tank. Though the laying of the pipe line is complete, so far the supply has not been commissioned. C K Peter said that once the supply begins there won’t be any shortage at least for the coming 40 years. Unfortunately, it is said that it may take another year before the supply begins.As of now people depend on water from tanker lorries which is not sufficient. T D C convener C D Ashokan said that strong protests will be taken if the authorities do not act immediately to curb the problem.
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