KWA to make presentation on controversial water supply project before Kochi Corpn. council

The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) will come up with a presentation on the controversial Kerala Urban Water Services Improvement Project before the Kochi Corporation council after the civic body publicly aired its protest against the project.

Roshy Augustine, Water Resources Minister, has assured Mayor M. Anilkumar that a presentation on the project will be made at the Kochi Corporation council to dispel doubts about the project.

Incidentally, several trade unions have come out against the project, which they feared would lead to the privatisation of the drinking water supply to the city. A public resistance movement was also formed in the city against the Asian Development Bank-funded project.

The Kochi Corporation council, which had passed a resolution against the project, had also written to the State Irrigation Minister against the project. The civic body had also pitched for the implementation of a 190 MLD project to solve the drinking water shortage in the city.

The opposition of the civic body was on a few counts including the suggestion to replace a large number of water supply pipelines. The council had also raised its protest against any move to privatise the supply network. The council had demanded that the project remain with the Authority and no steps that would undermine the role of the Authority in the project shall be undertaken, said Mr. Anilkumar.

Regarding the council’s allegation that the number of pipes, that needed to be replaced, was an inflated one, the Minister said the concerns would be addressed and on-site assessments on the number of pipes to be replaced would be carried out, he said.

The Minister assured the Mayor that the long-pending 190 MLD water project would be implemented and funds would be made available for the project. The presentation would be held after the meetings of MLAs and trade unions, Mr. Anilkumar said.

Published - November 01, 2024 10:25 pm IST