THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The oldest residential area in the city has been plagued by inadequate water supply for the past two years. Water supply in Benedict Nagar, Nalanchira, has always been a cause of concern for residents, but their woes were wiped out when the area began receiving water supply 24x7 after the implementation of the Japan drinking water project in 2008. However, 120 families residing in the area now receive water only once a week or longer, forcing the residents to buy water from the corporation. The majority of the residents have placed three water tanks and motor pumps in their homes to store the maximum volume of water.
Currently, water supply is provided from the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) tank in Kudappanakunnu. “We have received water only twice in the past 16 days. Earlier we used to get the supply directly from the KWA water tank in Peroorkada and we had no issues. We suspect that there has been a diversion in our pipeline, leading to the current scarcity,” said Raju Thomas, a resident of Benedict Nagar.
The houses near the third gate of Mar Ivanios Vidya Nagar are the ones that suffer the most. Joshua Thundiyil, former president of Benedict Nagar Residents Association (BNRA), and one of the oldest residents ,have bought a tank of 10,000-litre capacity to store water when the supply comes. “A few residents have taken similar measures but the supply is extremely scarce. Despite several complaints to the KWA officials, no permanent solution has been taken,” he said.
Residents are also unable to rent out their houses. “Some of the tenants vacated their homes due to water scarcity. Getting water supplied in tanker lorries weekly will never resolve our issue,” said another resident.Nasiya M A, who has been living in the area for five years, is worried about the summer season. “We suffered badly last summer and were stuck within four walls,” she said. Nasiya had contacted Minister for Water Resources K Krishnankutty’s office when the issue worsened. “Residents continue to buy 2,000 litres for Rs 1,500 from the corporation. If the situation persists, we will have to buy water for Rs 6,000 to 8,000 per month, which is unaffordable,” she added.
According to another resident, the water supply got reduced as the KWA started giving connections to new customers without laying new pipelines. “Since the area is elevated in comparison to the main road, water should be pumped with more force to reach all the houses in Benedict Nagar,” he said.