The Kerala Water Authority will soon commission a high-pressure pump at Vizhinjam in a bid to solve an acute water shortage in the area.
A report on drinking-water scarcity in Vizhinjam, published by the Trivandrum Social Service Society, a non-governmental organisation, and the Centre for Fisheries Studies, says the installation of the Rs.25-lakh pump is nearing completion. The report says that Ashok Kumar Singh, Managing Director, KWA, has said that the pump will be commissioned by January-end.
A Rs.25-crore Comprehensive Drinking Water Scheme is in the pipeline for Vizhinjam, the report says. The scheme includes construction of a treatment plant sourcing water from the Vellayani lake. The treated water will be supplied in Vizhinjam, Kalliyoor, and Venganoor.
“However, it is not clear how the project will work out during the summer months when the Vellayani lake goes dry. Also, distribution pipes have not yet been laid in most of the areas that will be covered under the scheme. Whether the project cost covers the laying of distribution pipes is not clear,” the report says.
The report says the people of Vizhinjam still heavily depend on water bought from private parties at the rate of Rs.2.50 a pitcher.
Inadequate supply
The drinking-water shortage in Vizhinjam persists even after it was made a Corporation ward in 2010. Although the City Corporation provides water in tanker lorries once in nine days, this is far from adequate.
Two drinking water schemes, the Karichal and the Vellayani lake schemes, were launched to provide drinking water in the area. However, water supplied from both these projects is unfit for drinking as it is not properly treated. There is also no guarantee on the purity of water people buy from private agencies.
