Nod for Bottling Plant Near Malankara Dam

The Cabinet has given an in-principle approval to the Kerala Water

The Cabinet has given an in-principle approval to the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) for setting up a water bottling plant near the Malankara dam situated in the upstream of Thodupuzha region.

An amount of Rs 9.86 crore has also been released for the project, entailing a total outlay of Rs 10.25 crore and a capacity to process and pack 9,000 litres of drinking water per hour. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told a post-cabinet briefing here on Wednesday that the project would be fully under the public sector.

“When it was visualised earlier with private participation as a CIAL model venture, the Opposition stood against it. Now it will be a public sector concern,” he said. The Irrigation Infrastructure Development Corporation will accomplish the project.

“Through the initiative, bottled drinking water can be supplied at a very low cost. People in the state are now using it commonly but the prevailing market rates of bottled water are very high.

Providing drinking water at economy rates is the government’s priority,” he said.

The Chief Minister also said that the paid-up capital of Irrigation Infrastructure Development Corporation, which is just Rs 21,11,600 at present, will be raised to Rs 10 crore.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com