Kochi: Kerala Water Authority has taken action to reorganize its activities to implement the central government project Jal Jeevan Mission. This project aims to ensure drinking water supply with pipe connection to every rural household. It will be implemented as per the guidelines of the World Bank.
It is learned that with this project, panchayats will be responsible to carry out the water supply, levying water bill and repair works. As the rate of water will be fixed as per Jalanidhi’s tariff, the water bill will go up.
It is reported that with this project, public taps and public water supply facilities will vanish gradually.
The Kerala Water Authority is reorganizing the activities as directed by World Bank for the implementation of the new project. Committees have started functioning to examine the project.
Integrated water authority system will be implemented including officials of Jalanidhi project. With the implementation of the project, water authority will be only in charge of purification of water and filling the water tanks.
Reviewing the administrative changes, water authority has begun activities including transfer and shuffling of employees.
According to reports, the Water Authority is facing a loss of Rs 500 cr every year.
A total of 52.85 rural households in Kerala will get water pipe connection within 5 years under Jal Jeevan Mission. Rs 22,720 cr is reserved for this project.
Meanwhile, the cabinet approved the works under the project which earmarked Rs 880 cr for this year.
In 2020, the project will be implemented only in those panchayats which are willing to contribute 10 percent consumer share and 15 percent panchayat share.
No more free supply
At present, the water authority supplyies 5000 litres water for Rs 20. When Jalanidhi takes up the water supply, the price for 5000 litres water will go up to Rs 70.
At the same time, the free water supply to BPL families will not be continued any more. Hence, the consumers will face more burden from water bill.
