Kanaka Nagar residents in Thiruvananthapuram face water crisis

According to the residents, the force of the water supplied early in the mornings has become much less.
Kanaka Nagar residents are forced to rely on small tankers for water  Vincent Pulickal
Kanaka Nagar residents are forced to rely on small tankers for water Vincent Pulickal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The residents of Kanaka Nagar, Nanthancode, have been facing a severe water shortage for the past six months. This has been a recurring problem for the past two years. In most houses, water is supplied only between 6.30 am and 7 am.

The shortage is prevalent from Vellayambalam to Nanthancode. K K Dhanadevan, former secretary of the Kanaka Nagar Residents Welfare Association (KNRWA), said, "Old four-inch-diameter metallic pipes still run through the road due to which leaks occur frequently."

According to the residents, the force of the water supplied early in the mornings has become much less. "We are unable to get water on the second floor of the house," said Vinod B, a resident.The situation is even worse in some houses which are situated near Pipeline Road.

"It has been a month since the water was supplied here. As we use borewell, we can pump water using a motor. But this cannot be used for drinking purposes," said Rajesh S, another resident.

Owing to the shortage, people are forced to buy water. Residents said that only small tankers are allowed to go near their houses. "Big tankers are banned because the authorities fear that it will break the main pipe underneath the road," said Vinod.

Some residents raised their suspicions about water being diverted to apartment complexes located near Keston Road. "Six months ago, repair work was done on the road, after which the force of water reduced drastically. We think there might be a leak in the pipe due to which the water pressure has reduced," said Jeevan S L, a retired Income Tax Department official.

"There are many government offices located in the area. All of them, including the Governor's house which is 1.5 km away, do not get enough water. Even if the old pipes are replaced, if there is no sufficient water in Kerala Water Authority's main tank, the water will not flow to high-altitude areas. This issue cannot be resolved in the executive engineer level," said ward councillor Palayam Rajan.

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