4.5cr water plant still lies nonfunctional after 7 years

T'puram: Even seven years after Kerala Water Authority(KWA) constructed an 11.5 MLD capacity water treatment plant at Nanniyode to find a permanent solution for the drinking water woes of thousands of people, the plant remains non-functional.Several portions of the plant, which was constructed at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore as part of theAnad-Nanniyode drinking water project, have rusted and damaged due to the apathy of the authorities. The construction of tanks and transmission lines is yet to be completed.The project was proposed in 2010 to provide drinking water connections to the residents of Nanniyode and Anad panchayats. It was constructed in 2018 by utilising funds from the National Rural Drinking Water Programme and recently Rs 77.21 crore was sanctioned for the construction of tanks, pumps and transmission lines for the project.KWA officials said they could not finish the construction of some tanks and transmission lines, which prevented the commissioning of the project. Three tanks were proposed to be constructed at Nanniyode panchayat as part of the project: one with a capacity of 10 lakh litres at Anakuzhi, a 1.5-lakh litre tank near the Nanniyode panchayat office and a 3-lakh litre tank at Alumkuzhi. The construction of the two tanks was completed, but during the construction at Alumkuzhi, huge rocks were spotted underneath.The rocks were eventually removed, but the local panchayat could not auction the rocks as the bidders had to pay a huge amount as GST. "Only after auctioning the rocks can we remove more rocks and it also delays the works," said a KWA official.In Anad, two tanks with capacities of 6.5 lakh litres at Kooppu and 1.7 lakh litres at Kaithakkad were constructed, but a transmission line of 8km from the Nanniyode plant to Chullimanoor is yet to become a reality. Delay in getting road cutting permission was pointed out as the reason for the delay. "The construction of a tank with a capacity of 4 lakh litres and a pump house at Chullimanoor was also completed. We have accomplished almost 70% of the work and the remaining works can be completed in three months,," said a KWA official.Nanniyode panchayat president Shylaja Rajeevan and Anad panchayat president N Sreekala have urged KWA to finish the works immediately. "It was by considering the struggles of the people that we exerted much pressure for the implementation of the project some 15 years ago. But it is progressing at a snail's pace and the plant remains non-functional. KWA could not even finish works of transmission lines near the plant. Only 50% of work is completed and water connection for all residents' still remains a distant dream," said Shylaja.