Thrissur: Two years on, NHAI yet to fix leaky pipe

Thrissur: While the district is bracing for one of the hottest summers and local bodies are gearing up to supply drinking water in their limits, the National Highway Authority (NHAI), which has taken up the work of the Mannuty-Vadakkumchery six-lane toll way, has not yet repaired damage caused to a major drinking water supply pipe line from Peechi Dam to Thrissur Corporation and eight other gram panchayats.

The water leakage at Thottappadi near Kerala Agriculture University was caused due to the damage done during the toll way works in 2016 and even after more than two years, the water is being wasted on a daily basis.

According to the RTI reply given to a Mannuthy-based organization ‘Nerkazhcha’, assistant executive Engineer of Kerala Water Authority B. A. Benny, a total of 2 lakh liters of water has been lost till now which would cost up to '7 lakh.

“A ductile iron pipe of 700mm diameter was damaged and that has led to the leakage. Even after sending more than 10 letters to the NHAI, the Authority officials have not yet taken the initiative to replace the pipe with a new one,” Mr Benny said.

As the six-lane toll road work was a major work, NHAI officials had taken a stand before the monitoring committee chaired by the District Collector that they would shift all KWA pipes crossing the NH and those adjacent to the road.

According to KWA, for replacing the entire section of the pipe along with another 600 mm hume steel pipe lying near the damaged one, a total of Rs 1.2 crore would be needed.

“NHAI officials will face public ire if they continue with the apathy as there will be a severe shortage of water during summer,” Nerkazhcha functionary P B Sateesh, who is following the issue, said.