Coastal areas in Thiruvananthapuram cry for water kiosks

Thiruvananthapuram: Unlike elsewhere, coastal areas bank heavily on public taps for water due to a low number of residential pipe connections. With no water in taps in the mornings, women and men stay awake at areas from Poonthura to Veli awaiting water at night. Since the force is weak, it takes a longer time to fill each pot and queues become longer. Valiyathura councillor Sheeba Patrick herself collected water for three days’ use by waking up at 1 am on Sunday. Bore well connections are present in some houses, but many cannot afford one. At certain areas of Vettucaud, residents say, borewells are not feasible due to the polluting presence of Travancore Titanium factory.

“We are not protesting this time because we know the dams are running out, but we need a good number of water kiosks,” said Vettucaud councillor Mary Lilly Rajas. At Vettucaud, there is a severe scarcity of water in places like Balanagar, Madhavapuram and Beemapally areas where men folks roam around day and night with pots on their two-wheelers is hit hard. “Though officials talk of water kiosks in places like Kowdiar and Palayam, we have not received any information on kiosks opening in coastal areas,” said Ms Patrick. As per the KWA officials, their primary aim was always to ensure supply at the coastal area. “Our pipelines by default end at coastal areas. So, if we can provide water in coastal regions we can almost be sure that supply in the city was largely a success for the day,” said a KWA official.