With availability of potable water becoming an issue across the district, the Revenue Department has insisted on use of vehicles with Global Positioning System for water distribution by local bodies. The move is in view of the instances of misappropriation reported over the years.
Kozhikode Corporation secretary Binu Francis, who is monitoring water distribution by local bodies in the district, said local body officials were often hand in glove with vehicle owners to show that water tankers had distributed more water than they actually did so as to misappropriate funds.
Mr. Francis said the Kozhikode Corporation did not have the provision to issue licences to private players for water distribution. But, with complaints being raised regarding the poor quality of water distributed by private tanker lorries, the Corporation might join hands with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to check the water thus distributed. The civic body could book those violating hygiene standards, he said.
The Corporation also plans to crack down on water bottling firms if there were complaints about the quality of water distributed in cans. “In case of sealed containers, we have the right to seize them and conduct the required lab tests,” said Mr. Francis.
