KOCHI: The All Kerala Water Authority Employees Union affiliated to the AITUC has alleged foul play in the move to hand over the Chowara water distribution project to Jalanidhi.
The Union sought a review of the decision allegedly aimed at privatisation of the project, which was started by erstwhile rulers of Kochi.
It has been agreed to hand over water distribution in the areas of Sreemoolanagaram, Kanjoor and Chengamanad panchayat, which comes under the project, to Jalanidhi in the first phase.
Union working president M M George said a former IAS officer, who took the initiative to form a potable water company with 51 per cent private participation on the lines of the CIAL, was behind the move.
The move was earlier withdrawn following massive protest. Now the plan is to implement the project in another format by forming a CIAL-model bottled water plant based in Nedumbassery.
George urged the state government to review the memorandum of understanding signed between the Kerala Water Authority and Jalanidhi in this regard. With the implementation of Jalanidhi - a project assisted by the World Bank - the Kerala Water Authority will be forced to withdraw from the potable water sector, the Union said.