Several panchayats in Kuttanad, including Neelamperoor, Kavalam, Pulinkunnu, and Kainakary, are reeling under acute drinking water scarcity.
The situation is not much different in Thalavady, Edathua, and Muttar.
Delay in completion of water supply schemes in the region have contributed to the situation.
Areas not covered
Although the commissioning of the Neerattupuram water treatment plant a couple of years ago had improved the situation in parts of Kuttanad, many areas, including Edathua, Thalavady and Kavalam, are yet to benefit from the project.
Another multi-crore drinking water project mooted by the Union Ministry of Rural Development in 2012 to address the issue of water shortage in the region also remains on paper.
RO plants
Residents said that at least 50 Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants that had been set up under the Kuttanad Package in the region but most of them were not working properly.
“Other than the RO plants, there are around 160 water kiosks in various parts of Kuttanad. Unfortunately almost all the kiosks remain empty with authorities making hardly any effort to fill them with water,” a resident said.
From private suppliers
With potable water becoming a rare commodity, residents have already started to shell out a hefty amount for buying water from private suppliers.
Kavalam grama panchayat president Sandhya Ramesh told The Hindu that the situation was going to be severe in the coming months.
“We have already started facing acute shortage of drinking water and the situation is going to be severe in the coming months. Ponds, wells, and streams have all dried up. We held a meeting of the disaster management committee and brought the issue to the notice of the Revenue Department. It is for the Revenue Department to initiate steps to distribute water in tanker lorries and country boats,” Ms. Ramesh said.
Meanwhile, officials said that the Revenue Department had started the process to distribute water to the worst-affected areas. The Kerala Water Authority has begun laying pipelines to Edathua, Kavalam, and other areas from the Neerattupuram water treatment plant.
