War of words over pipe-burst in city

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A leak in the pipeline of KWA (Kerala Water Authority) at Kesavadasapuram has fuelled resentment among the local people as the authorities, even eight days after the incident, have failed to plug the leakage. The leak was located in Theerapadom line, which has been lying abandoned for almost three years. According to Kesavadasapuram ward councillor George Louis, reviving of the Theerapadom line would have solved the drinking water issue of four wards in the city. Currently, drinking water is being supplied through a 400-mm branch line. But owing to technical complications regarding pumping from Aruvikkara, water pressure in the pipeline has been dipping continuously and this has affected domestic distribution, he said. Currently, areas including Lakshmi Nagar, Kunnumpuram, Pattom and Paruthippara, which are being fed by the 400-mm pipeline, have been suffering from acute water shortage. It was against this backdrop that the idea of reviving  the Theerapadom line popped up in the minds of the local community. The plan was conveyed to the officials of Water Authority. It got momentum after the issue was taken up by K Muraleedharan MLA. According to Krishna Kumar, the superintending engineer with KWA, the project of reviving Theerapadom was taken up to increase the water supply to the areas including Kesavadasapuram. ‘’For this purpose, a direct line was laid from Vayalikkada to Kesavadasapuram. Around 500 m of Ductile Iron pipe was laid to strengthen the supply. But when we switched on the valve, the lower portion of the pipe got busted. There is currently no water shortage in the place. It was a plan to increase the supply and we will soon tide over the issue,” he said. But the ward councillor who has been from running pillar to post to resolve the issue said that the matter is not that simple as the KWA says. ”After the initial leak, we pressed them to speed up the work. When they maintained lethargy, the public confronted one of the overseers and informed him that we want a speedy solution. Three thousand families residing in four wards, including Medical College, Kesavadasapuram, Pattom, Ulloor and Akkulam, have been hit by their inaction. They are deliberately delaying the maintenance work to avenge for the public’s protest,” he alleged.