The Kerala High Court has taken a decisive step to address the pressing drinking water crisis in several areas of Kochi, issuing a crucial interim order that mandates immediate action from the Kerala Water Authority (KWA).
Court Directs Continuous Water Supply to Affected Regions
A bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V M Syam Kumar has directed the KWA to ensure uninterrupted and continuous supply of drinking water to residents of West Kochi, Chellanam panchayat, Kumbalangi panchayat, and 30 specific wards within the Kochi corporation. This judicial intervention comes in response to a petition that highlighted the severe and ongoing water scarcity faced by these communities.
Petition Details and Allegations
The petition was filed by Thampi Subramaniyan, a former councillor of the Kochi corporation, who brought the matter before the High Court. Subramaniyan alleged that residents of West Kochi, Chellanam, Kumbalangi, and the 30 corporation wards are experiencing acute scarcity of drinking water, creating significant hardship for the local population.
In his petition, Subramaniyan provided detailed information about the water crisis and referenced various representations that had been made to appropriate authorities. Despite these repeated appeals and complaints, the petitioner noted that no substantial results or improvements had been achieved so far, necessitating judicial intervention.
Court's Specific Directions and Timeline
During the hearing, the High Court bench issued several specific directions to address the situation:
- The court directed KWA officials to file an affidavit within two weeks, disclosing all steps taken to ensure the supply of drinking water to the affected areas.
- The authorities were instructed to take immediate and concrete steps to provide adequate drinking water specifically in the western region of Kochi.
- The petition has been adjourned to February 19 for further hearing and review of compliance with the court's directives.
This interim order represents a significant development in the ongoing struggle for reliable water access in these Kochi regions, placing legal responsibility on the water authority to address what has been described as an acute scarcity situation affecting numerous residents across multiple administrative areas.
