Water scarcity is acute at flood-hit Puthanvelikara

Kochi: Three months after the floods which caused widespread damage to Puthanvelikara panchayat, most parts of the village are now reeling under acute water scarcity.

Due to saline water intrusion to Chalakudy River, pumping from the Kerala Water Authority’s Kan-akkankadavu pump ho-use has been hit. Brac-kish water started reac-hing the river as auth-orities failed to repair one of the shutters of Kanakkankadavu regulator-cum-bridge which was damaged in floods.

“Many areas in the village are not getting water regularly while those regions which are being served are receiving saline water for more than two weeks. We have to shell out Rs 300 to Rs 400 per day for potable water supplied by private tankers,” said M.P Shajan, former panchayat member.

“It is the apathetic approach of the Irrigation department which delayed the repairing of the shutter. If the department had repaired the shutter soon after the floods, the situation could have been avoided,” added Shajan.

The Chalakudy River has six major dams and nearly 500 major and minor drinking water and irrigation projects situated in downstream areas in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts which are dependent on it.

Every year, Irrigation department constructs temporary sand bund at Kozhithuruth where Chalakudy River joins River Periyar, to prevent intrusion of brackish water into the upper stream. However, construction of the sand bund has not yet begun.

Meanwhile, KWA official who is in charge of the Kanakkankadavu pump house told DC that disruption in water supply is due to increasing level of salinity in river water.

“We are regulating supply as per the fluctuating salt content level in river water. Pumping is not possible during high tide. The Irrigation department has started repairing of the shutter. Once, the shutter is closed brackish water intrusion can be prevented. This will facilitate normal supply from the pump house,” the official said.