Thiruvananthapuram: A Rs 60 crore project aimed at supplying drinking water to residents of Anad and Nanniyode panchayats in Nedumangad taluk is in limbo for over 16 years, leaving thousands of families facing severe water shortages.Residents in several high-range areas have been struggling without drinking water supply for the past five days. Businesses and small establishments in the area have also been affected due to the ongoing water scarcity. The project, which began in 2009, envisages drawing water from Vamanapuram River, purifying it at a treatment plant and distributing it to households in the two panchayats. Officials of Kerala Water Authority (KWA) said the purification plant constructed near Thannimoodu has been completed but is yet to become operational. Power connections and installation of machinery are still pending. Officials also said that the cost of the project has increased over the years. According to officials, the pipeline laying work was also delayed after public works department denied permission for road cutting in certain stretches last year. As part of the project, two overhead water tanks have already been constructed in Anad panchayat. In Nanniyode panchayat, land had been identified for constructing another water tank, but the plan could not proceed as the site was found to be rocky and unsuitable for construction. Meanwhile, officials said works under Jal Jeevan Mission to provide household water connections in the area have been completed by around 90%. Currently, both Anad and Nanniyode panchayats depend largely on water from Arampalli pond. However, residents said it was insufficient to cater to the requirements of thousands of families in the two panchayats, highlighting the urgent need to complete the long-pending drinking water project. Anad gram panchayat president N Sreekala said the panchayat has already purchased land at Kaithakkad and constructed overhead tanks at Elavattom on panchayat land, which were later handed over to KWA. “The drinking water crisis will be resolved only when the Anad–Nandiyodu project becomes operational. The project should be expedited,” she said.
