Work on the ₹76-crore drinking water distribution scheme for Iritty and Mattannur municipalities and neighbouring panchayats, with Pazhasssi reservoir at Veliyambra as its source, is fast progressing.
The scheme, supported by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), is aimed at supplying drinking water to 3.5 lakh people in the two municipalities and the neighbouring panchayats of Payam and Thillankery.
Four packages
The project is being executed in four packages, and three of them have already been tendered, while the remaining one will be tendered after the acquisition of 25 cents from Government High School, Keezhur.
“The construction of a 12-diametre intake wall for the new project near the existing intake wall is in progress,” C. Jayaprakash, superintending engineer, Kerala Water Authority (KWA), said. Besides, work on a treatment plant with 42-million-litre capacity a day is in progress, he added.
Water from the plant will be diverted through gravity flow to the 15-lakh-litre-capacity tank at Kothery, which is under construction for water supply in Mattannur and nearby areas. Water from the treatment plant at Chavassery will reach a similar tank at Keezhur for supply to Iritty and nearby areas. Distribution under the second phase will begin after the completion of construction work under the first phase, KWA engineers said.