States » SouthPosted at: Oct 14 2026 7:05AM


Kochi water crisis: Govt to act against officials over lapses, Rs 523 crore project planned

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 14 (UNI) Kerala Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph has assured strict action against officials over alleged lapses in drinking water distribution in Kochi, where an acute shortage has affected several localities for the past three months.
An urgent meeting of the city’s MLAs and officials concerned will be convened after the Assembly session to address the crisis, he said.
The minister gave the assurance while responding to a submission by T.J. Vinod MLA, who sought immediate government intervention to ease the hardships of residents and establish accountability for the disruption in supply.
Complaints of serious shortcomings in water distribution had been received from various quarters, Joseph said, adding that senior officials had been instructed to submit a report. Action would be taken on the basis of its findings.
Vinod told the Assembly that Chittoor, Vaduthala, Pachalam, Thattazham, Ayyappankavu, Elamakkara and Kaloor were among the worst-affected areas. The shortage had also hit P.T. Usha Road and T.D. Road in central Kochi, with residents facing difficulties in securing drinking water and disputes arising over its availability.
The disruption has raised questions about the management of the city’s water supply following the collapse of a section of the Thammanam storage tank on November 10, 2025, due to ageing. The facility, with a total capacity of 135 million litres per day (MLD), stores water supplied from Aluva and Maradu before it is distributed across Kochi.
The damaged chamber had a capacity of 65 MLD. Following expert advice, the remaining chamber, also designed for 65 MLD, is being operated with around 40 MLD of water for storage and pumping.
Although the damage was expected to affect supply, distribution initially continued without major difficulties. Vinod said the acute shortage over the past three months required an urgent investigation into the reasons for the decline in water availability and corrective measures to prevent further disruption.
The minister also informed the House that administrative sanction had been granted for Rs 523 crore to construct a 190 MLD water treatment plant at Aluva, as per a government order issued on July 8, 2026.
The project aims to improve water supply to Kochi Corporation and neighbouring areas, including Keezhmad, Edathala, Choornikkara, Njarakkal, Elankunnapuzha, Mulavukad, Nayarambalam, Varappuzha, Cheranalloor, Kadungalloor, Chellanam, Kumbalangi and Kadamakkudy.
The Kochi Urban Water Supply Improvement Project, supported by the Asian Development Bank, has been awarded to SUEZ Projects Ltd. It includes surveys, mapping of water supply assets, replacement of old pipelines and maintenance of the system for ten years. Replacing ageing pump sets at the Aluva treatment plant is expected to provide an additional five MLD of water daily.
Vinod also urged the government to expedite the Chittoor overhead tank project, for which Rs six crore had been allocated during the Nava Kerala Sadas. He sought steps to arrange funds from his MLA development fund for pipeline installation and secure the required administrative approval.
The proposal envisages an elevated water tank with a capacity of 6.5 lakh litres and a ground-level reservoir capable of storing 1.15 lakh litres on 10 cents of land near the Chittoor village office.
Vinod stressed that the immediate shortage must be tackled alongside measures to rectify deficiencies in the distribution network and complete planned infrastructure projects within a time frame to ensure a sustained and reliable drinking water supply.
UNI DS
Tags: #Kochi water crisis: Govt to act against officials over lapses# Rs 523 crore project planned
More News

Draupadi’s Mahabharata to be staged at 49th Soorya Festival on Oct 17

14 Oct 2026 | 7:15 AM

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 14 (UNI) Renowned Odissi dancer and choreographer Madhulita Mohapatra and her Bengaluru-based Nrityantar Dance Ensemble will present Draupadi’s Mahabharata … the epic that began with her, an Odissi dance production that retells the Indian epic from Draupadi’s perspective, at the 49th Soorya Festival here on October 17.

see more..

Kochi water crisis: Govt to act against officials over lapses, Rs 523 crore project planned

14 Oct 2026 | 7:05 AM

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 14 (UNI) Kerala Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph has assured strict action against officials over alleged lapses in drinking water distribution in Kochi, where an acute shortage has affected several localities for the past three months.

see more..

TTD Discontinues Elephant Blessings to Ensure Devotee Safety

13 Oct 2026 | 11:38 PM

Tirumala, Oct 13 (UNI): The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has discontinued the practice of temple elephants blessing devotees as a precautionary measure to ensure public safety and protect the animals, TTD Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala Director Sivakumar said on Tuesday.

see more..

AP: Ex-CM Jagan Reddy discusses with leaders to select candidates for local body polls

13 Oct 2026 | 10:44 PM

Vijayawada, Oct 13 (UNI) YSR Congress Party president and former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held detailed discussions with senior party leaders on preparing for the local body elections. J
Jagan Mohan Reddy met district teams, including the regional coordinators, district presidents and parliamentary observers. They discussed candidate selection and preparations to face the elections effectively. With reservations finalised for various corporations and municipalities, the leaders also reviewed their implications for selecting candidates.

see more..

AP: SEC is ready to conduct local body polls at any time: SEC Anil Chadar Puneetha

13 Oct 2026 | 10:39 PM

Vijayawada, Oct 13 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Puneetha here on Tuesday held a meeting with the leaders of various political parties and discussed the ensuing local body elections and made it clear that the SES is ready to conduct at any time transparently. .

see more..