The United Democratic Front (UDF) government is engaged in an effort to complete pending drinking water projects in a prioritised manner, Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation P.J. Joseph.
Commissioning the Pattarmadom drinking water project at Ettumanoor on Saturday evening, Mr. Joseph said the project should be expanded to include more people and areas.
The commissioning of the Pattarmadom project is a realisation of a 32-year-old dream for the local people. It was in 1983 that the then Irrigation Minister M.P. Gangadharan laid the foundation stone for the project. The project then went into hibernation until 1993, when the then MLA from Ettumanur, Thomas Chazhikkadan, revived it. The first project report of 1995 envisaged a cost of Rs. 13.20 crore, but it was found inadequate. The project was brought under a Central scheme and revised to Rs. 23.67 crore three years later. Five years later, administrative sanction was accorded for the project to implement it with a budget of Rs. 31 crore. After the present UDF government came to power, the budget was enhanced by another Rs. 17.71 crore to bring the total cost to Rs. 48.71 crore.
The project, intended to serve more than more two lakh people spread over the grama panchayats of Ettumanoor, Athirampuzha, Neendoor, Aarpookkara and Aymanam in Ettumanoor Assembly segment and Manjoor and Kanakkari grama panchayats in Kaduthuruthy Assembly segment, will also cater to the needs of Kottayam Government Medical College and Hospital, the Government Dental College, the Mahatma Gandhi University, the court complex at Ettumanoor and various other institutions.
The project draws water from the Meenachil river at Poovathumood near Peroor, where the well and pump house are situated.
