Latest news with #KJSohan
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Water contamination in KWA pipes persists in Fort Kochi
Kochi: Residents of Fort Kochi have been facing the issue of water contamination for at least three months. Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has failed to tackle the issue and provide clean water to the residents. Demanding a solution to the issue, the residents had taken to the streets several times. "We have been bringing the issue to the notice of KWA officials for the past few months. But KWA is still unable to identify the reason for contamination. The officials just speculate that contamination might be caused by water pipelines passing through drains. They said old, dilapidated pipes burst and contaminated water from the drains gushed into them. But KWA officials are unable to identify the areas where pipes burst have occured, contaminating the pipe water," said Antony Kureethra, councillor from Fort Kochi division. "The water contamination issue exists at many places in Fort Kochi and Kalvathy divisions and also in some parts of Vypeen," he added. Residents are hence forced to procure water from private suppliers. "Several families are finding it difficult to buy water from private suppliers as charges are high. We collected water from the KWA pipeline in our area and took it to KWA office in Fort Kochi. It was visibly contaminated. Discolouration and a foul smell emanating from the water suggested that it was contaminated. But KWA has failed to take any mitigating measures," said former mayor K J Sohan. Many roads and drains were reconstructed under projects like Smart City. During such works, many KWA pipes burst. This is another reason for water contamination, said locals. According to KWA officials, a shortage of workers is one of the reasons for delay in carrying out repair works. "We are trying to procure labourers for repair works. There are certain issues with identifying the leakage spots too. Anyway, we are making all efforts for repair works," said a KWA official.
New Indian Express
27-04-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Lasting solution sought to salvage Fort Kochi beach
KOCHI: After the tourism department allocated Rs 5 crore for the development of Fort Kochi Beach, following its inclusion in the list of green destinations in the state, a recent high-level meeting chaired by the district collector suggested a major cleaning drive, besides adding some infrastructural facilities. However, various stakeholders have now come forward demanding a permanent solution to prevent the diminution of the beach and address the root cause: Waste being carried through Vembanad Lake and dumped in the estuary. 'The meeting chaired by the district collector, suggested a cleaning drive and introducing a few minor facilities. But the need of the hour is for a permanent solution. The fund allocation should be utilised for implementing a long-term solution, if we don't want the beach to disappear in a few years,' said K J Sohan, former mayor and a member of the People's Council for Cochin Development. 'Just a few decades back, the beach spanned nearly 30 acres. Now, a major portion has been claimed by the sea. Land reclamation for the Vallarpadam container terminal altered the course of the water flow, and the relentless waves have continued to erode the shore,' he pointed out. The tourism department spent Rs 27.4 lakh on a study by IIT Madras, but no action has been taken to implement the report. The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) is also in favour of devising a permanent solution to save the beach. 'What we need is a long-term vision and the implementation of a permanent solution through the cooperation of all departments concerned, including Kochi corporation,' said DTPC secretary Lijo Joseph. Haris Aboo, a Fort Kochi-based social activist, pointed out that the perennial issue faced by Fort Kochi Beach is waste, including plastic and thermocol, washed ashore by Vembanad Lake. 'Measures should be taken to prevent dumping of waste at the source. The frequent cleaning drives will not resolve the issue, as fresh waste keeps accumulating every two days,' he said. There should be a mechanism to prevent the dumping of waste, at least from the BOT bridge area onwards. Various studies have suggested a mechanism whereby the waste is collected using a specially built net, which won't hamper the movement of boats, Haris pointed out. 'During recent discussions, the tourism department said a detailed project report for a Rs 3 crore initiative has been readied for beach restoration. However, we don't have a mechanism in place to prevent the waste from Vembanad Lake getting washed ashore. This issue has been taken up with the Kochi mayor. I was briefed about a mechanism to prevent garbage being deposited on the beach front. We're considering the implementation of the same, too, with the fund allocated in the budget,' K J Maxy MLA said.
