Shiva Priya has to trek a kilometre at least twice a day from her house at Kalladichanmala near Punchakarai to fetch drinking water from a well. Many a time the local people object to her entering the area for water, but she has no choice. For, water has become a precious commodity in several parts of Punchakarai.
Priya represents residents of several villages such as Thinavila, Karinkidamukal, Vandithadam, and Malamukal, all situated in slightly elevated areas, near Punchakarai, which falls under the Nemom constituency limit.
“We have been struggling to get clean water for the past several months. Till around February we used to get piped water once a week. But now situation has worsened,” she said.
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People here have to either travel long distances to get drinking water, or spend money to buy it.
Sarojini, a resident of Thinavila, said her family spent Rs.400 for a tanker-load of 1,000 litres of water and even that did not last long. At the most, the family of four could use one tanker-load for two weeks. Her husband, Jayan, added that last month the family had to cough up Rs.1,600 to procure water through private mini tankers.
The villagers approached authorities to get regular water supply, but so far there has been no response.
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“A team visited the local MLA since there was no response from the Kerala Water Authority. We have lost hope in the government’s ability to provide us with clean, safe drinking water. Now we are waiting for the candidates to visit our locality,” said George, a resident of Malamukal.
Admitting that water scarcity does exist in these places, Rajesh, assistant engineer, KWA, Vandithadam section, said the problem had become acute of late due to huge consumption in lower residential areas of Nemom. The areas that face water shortage are all situated in a slightly elevated region and hence pumping water with existing capacity had become extremely difficult, he said. The KWA was making arrangements to supply water in tankers to these places daily.