As summer approaches, the water crisis continues to plague residents of several parts of Pallurutha in West Kochi. According to residents, the Konam region has been facing an acute water shortage in recent years, with its western parts being the worst affected. Before that, part of the population threatened to abstain from voting in protest. However, the problem was solved after the intervention of civic authorities.
KJ Thankachan, an autorickshaw driver based in Konam, said residents have been facing the crisis for years, though their plight is only beginning to be addressed. “We have been dealing with this problem for the last four years. In the last few days, after the intervention of the civic authorities, we have started getting some amount of water,” he said.
Meanwhile, demands are growing for the Edakochi storage tank, whose construction began a few years ago, to become operational. “The work on the tank has started earlier but it has not been commissioned yet. Once it is commissioned, the problem can be solved permanently. No concrete steps have been taken yet to make it operational,” said Sureshkumar, another resident of Konam.
PS Viju, a former councilor and resident of the area, said Konam’s location at the end of the supply chain was the main reason for the recurring shortage. “Pipelines have been laid and efforts have been made to solve the problem, but a permanent solution will be possible only after the Edakochi reservoir is commissioned,” he said.
CR Biju, Councilor Division 61, Kochi Corporation, said steps are being taken to resolve the issue within three to four days. “Out of the three months I served as a councillor, I spent almost 30 days visiting the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) office,” he said. He added that repair work is underway to eliminate leaks. “The area has been facing an acute water crisis for a long time. After sustained efforts, the supply has been restored in some parts and the remaining areas will be covered in the next few days,” Mr. Biju said.
He also confirmed that part of the population had previously threatened to boycott the elections. “After discussions and efforts to ensure the supply of drinking water bore fruit, people decided to abstain,” he added.
Published – 05 April 2026 20:20 IST
