THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Age-old water supply networks and recurring pipe bursts have left densely-populated areas surrounding Technopark high and dry.
“We have been grappling with the water crisis for the past two years and the situation has worsened in the past three months,” says Sumesh (name changed), a techie residing in Kazhakoottam. Sumesh, a native of Thrissur, got settled in an area close to Technopark 10 years ago.
“I settled here because of my job at Technopark. When I shifted here, we had a 24x7 water supply, but the situation changed two years ago. We get water like ration supply now, that too at wee hours. It has become a huge concern for families like ours. We don’t have any relatives or close family here to go to when we run out of water. If the issue is not resolved, we have no option but to move from here,” adds Sumesh, who is one of the many residents and techies living in the densely populated areas surrounding the Technopark and Kazhakoottam areas.
Several wards in the Kazhakootam constituency, including Edavacode, Sreekaryam, Chellamangalam, Powdikonam, Chempazhanthi, Njandoorkonam, Mannanthala, Attipra, Kulathoor, Kazhakootam and Kattayikonam, have reported severe water crisis this summer.
Meanwhile, the residents are up in arms against the authorities, with some associations even threatening to boycott the Lok Sabha elections demanding long-term solutions. Around 400 families under the Arasumoodu Residents’ Association have launched an indefinite protest.
“We have been protesting for the past two years. The area has undergone massive development and the density of the population has gone up. The existing water supply network has become inadequate and when they try to pump more water the concrete pipes start bursting,” said association secretary S Gopakumar. He said they are seriously considering boycotting this election.
“Recently, the authorities started supplying water twice a week after holding a discussion. However, some families are still facing crisis. Hence, we have decided not to withdraw our protests until we get a permanent solution,” he added.
According to official sources, the project to lay a new pipeline network in place of the old concrete one was stalled due to cost escalation. “Replacing the existing water supply network with a new one is the only solution to resolve the issue. We have roped in the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society Ltd., (ULCCS) but the project has faced 43% cost escalation and the revised estimates should get the approval from the state cabinet,” said an official source.
The Peroorkada-Puthukunnu-Manvila water pipe installation project was initially estimated to cost around Rs 68 crores. The project proposes the laying of a 7 km-long pipeline network for water supply. An official of KWA said the procedures to revise the estimates are tion project was initially estimated to cost around Rs 68 crores.
