The truant monsoon is taking a toll on all sectors, beginning with water supply. The alarming dip in water level in the Peppara Dam, the major reservoir supplying potable water to Thiruvananthapuram area, has prompted the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to press for restrictions on the 24-hour water supply. However, the Cabinet on Tuesday decided not to impose restriction on water supply. Instead, it has decided to release Rs 3.5 crore to bring water from Neyyar Dam.
Meanwhile, KWA officials maintained that the Authority would have to impose restriction if rain continues to play spoilsport. The KWA approached the Government as the present water level of Peppara could ensure supply for 35 days only.
KWA’s major demands include imposing restriction on the hours of supply, bringing water from Neyyar Dam and effecting a freeze on giving new connections. KWA will not sanction fresh connections until the crisis is over.
Water Resources Minister P J Joseph said the Government was not planning to impose any restriction now. “We are planning to bring water from Neyyar Dam. The Government will release Rs 3.5 crore for that. It would take a month to bring water from Neyyar to Aruvikkara,” he said.
Thiruvananthapuram is facing such a severe water crisis for the first time since 1972. Though the KWA has earlier too put a freeze on giving new connections during water crisis, a plan to impose restriction on supply has been recommended for the first time.
Recently, KWA MD Ashok Kumar Singh had issued a notice on the steps to be taken to handle the looming drought situation. It demanded daily monitoring of the source of water supply schemes. As an immediate plan, it suggested various measures such as awareness on restriction of usage, plugging of pipeline leakage, ban on new connections for construction purpose, reduction of hours of supply etc.
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