With Kannur district expecting a drought scenario, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has stepped up measures to meet water shortage in the district.
Being one of the nine districts that have been declared drought-hit by the State government, the KWA has scaled up initiatives to ensure proper water supply in drought-prone areas. While the maintenance of adequate water level in the Pazhassi reservoir, a major source of water in the district, is heartening, the drying up of some rivers, which are sources of water for a few water supply schemes (WSS), is a matter of concern. Meanwhile, KWA engineers are hopeful that the situation can be managed.
“We have already opened 25 filling stations to fill water in tankers readied by the Revenue Department for supply to water kiosks set up by the district administration,” said KWA superintending engineer C. Jayaprakash. Moreover, three temporary bunds have been constructed to ensure water supply to Koothuparamba, Mangattidam, and the Indian Naval Academy (INA), he added.
According to a KWA estimate, since the water level in the Pazhassi reservoir can be maintained at around 24 metres as against the full reservoir level of 26.52 metres, no serious problem is anticipated as water from the reservoir can be pumped up to 16 metres. The reservoir is the source of water for six of the nine WSSs in the district.
Water is supplied to 35 panchayats, Kannur Corporation, and seven municipalities from the reservoir. As pumping from the Anjarakandy river has been restricted as it has gone dry, water for Thalassery, Mahe, and Dharmadam panchayat is being diverted from the Peralassery WSS which is Pazhassi reservoir-based.
Mr. Jayaprakash informed that though the pumping of water for the INA from the Karyankode river had been suspended for a week earlier this month due, it was resumed later as the summer shower had replenished the river.
Water shortage is anticipated in Panur municipality and Mokeri and Pannyannur panchayats which come under the Pannyannur WSS. The Pathipalam river, the source of water for the Pannyannur WSS, has dried up, he said, adding that water in the areas had to be supplied through tankers.
