Thiruvananthapuram: The state capital is facing a deepening drinking water crisis, with residents across several localities struggling to access sufficient potable water amid early summer heat and technical setbacks at Aruvikkara water treatment plant. The city corporation authorities and opposition parties are now at odds over how to resolve the growing shortage. In a bid to tackle the acute scarcity, mayor V V Rajesh suggested in an all-party meeting convened on Tuesday that 15 tanker lorries be brought in to augment the city’s drinking water supply. According to corporation sources, this proposal was put forward as an emergency measure to ease pressure on pipeline distribution, which was disrupted by reduced water levels at Kerala Water Authority (KWA) vending points and ongoing repairs. So far, there have been no additional formal discussions or decisions reported on the proposal. The shortage triggered sharp political criticism. The BJP accused the state govt and civic administration of failing to ensure an adequate drinking water supply to ordinary households. In social media statements and local protests, BJP leaders claimed the govt was “unable to provide water to the people” and called for more decisive action. The water crisis also sparked public frustration, with long queues of bookings for water tankers through the Smart Trivandrum app and hundreds of pending delivery requests, according to corporation officials. Areas including Akkulam, Vazhuthacaud, Kazhakkoottam and Thampanoor were among the worst affected. Residents said the situation was ongoing since early Jan, and while repairs and maintenance are under way at critical infrastructure points, there is growing demand for both short-term relief measures like tanker deployments and long-term solutions to strengthen the city’s water system.
