The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has ordered the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to provide water connection to those suffering hardships owing to the contamination of groundwater caused by the construction of railway platform using garbage at Murukkumpuzha railway station.
SHRC Chairman Justice J B Koshy issued the order on complaints filed by Murukkumpuzha action council secretary Franklin Pereira and Pradeep Divakaran. The SHRC found that the groundwater in the area got polluted after the construction of the platform. The report of an expert panel constituted to study the pollution is under the consideration of the government. Against this background, the SHRC also ordered the Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report to the SHRC on how the problem could be solved before June 3. The case will be heard on June 9.
The order also says that it is not known whether the nine suggestions submitted by Suchitwa Mission for platform construction were implemented. This should have been looked into by the expert committee, it said.
The petitioners complained that groundwater used for drinking purpose turned unusable after garbage was used for constructing the railway platform. The complaint also said that there were flaws in the platform construction.
The order said that if potable water is not available to the complainants and the residents, the government, Railways and Thiruvananthapuram Corporation are liable to provide it.