Thiruvananthapuram: Officially, it is curtains for Kerala Water Authority’s (KWA) own bottling water plant. The water resources department on Saturday decided to hand over the ambitious project at Aruvikkara to the Kerala Irrigation Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (KIIDC), which manufacturers the bottled water ‘Hilly Aqua’.
Officials of KIIDC will visit the Aruvikkara plant on Monday to review the remaining work of the project, mainly the BIS certification process. KWA’s bottling water project, which was cited as a major income-generating scheme, has been wholly transferred to KIIDC, with KWA eligible only for the lease, which is yet to be finalised.
As per the GO, the period of lease will be seven years initially. The KIIDC will be responsible for carrying out the remaining operations, including licencing with BIS and marketing.
The decision to hand over to KIIDC came up amid opposition of KWA employee unions, including Left-affiliated ones. Water resources department has cited inability to draw scarce resources for the bottled water project since KWA has to tackle more important works such as drought mitigation.
“KWA has been entrusted with administrative approval for over Rs 9,000 crore on drinking-water projects funded under KIIFB, Jal Jeevan Mission, state Plan, Nabard, etc. It may not be prudent to draw its scarce resources and divert its limited personnel to a niche market such as bottle water. KWA is over-staffed in lower cadres and need restructuring of its human resources. In view of the possible drought likely in the state in 2020-21, KWA needs to focus on drought relief. It is highly essential to operationalize the bottled water plant on a war footing which has already sunk a cost of Rs 16 crore,” the GO said.
Crediting KIIDC for successfully marketing ‘Hilly Aqua’, the GO stated that the expertise of KIIDC in obtaining the withheld regulatory clearances and floating cost-effective marketing campaign would be far superior to KWA or any other agency hired for the purpose.
KWA had envisaged the bottled water project at Aruvikkara as a model project for setting up similar ones in other parts of the state. With the project slipping away, KWA has to wind up similar plans too. The project, with a capacity to produce 7,200 litres per hour, was conceived in 2006 and the water supply and sewerages act was amended for it.
Officials of KIIDC will visit the Aruvikkara plant on Monday to review the remaining work of the project, mainly the BIS certification process. KWA’s bottling water project, which was cited as a major income-generating scheme, has been wholly transferred to KIIDC, with KWA eligible only for the lease, which is yet to be finalised.
As per the GO, the period of lease will be seven years initially. The KIIDC will be responsible for carrying out the remaining operations, including licencing with BIS and marketing.
The decision to hand over to KIIDC came up amid opposition of KWA employee unions, including Left-affiliated ones. Water resources department has cited inability to draw scarce resources for the bottled water project since KWA has to tackle more important works such as drought mitigation.
“KWA has been entrusted with administrative approval for over Rs 9,000 crore on drinking-water projects funded under KIIFB, Jal Jeevan Mission, state Plan, Nabard, etc. It may not be prudent to draw its scarce resources and divert its limited personnel to a niche market such as bottle water. KWA is over-staffed in lower cadres and need restructuring of its human resources. In view of the possible drought likely in the state in 2020-21, KWA needs to focus on drought relief. It is highly essential to operationalize the bottled water plant on a war footing which has already sunk a cost of Rs 16 crore,” the GO said.
Crediting KIIDC for successfully marketing ‘Hilly Aqua’, the GO stated that the expertise of KIIDC in obtaining the withheld regulatory clearances and floating cost-effective marketing campaign would be far superior to KWA or any other agency hired for the purpose.
KWA had envisaged the bottled water project at Aruvikkara as a model project for setting up similar ones in other parts of the state. With the project slipping away, KWA has to wind up similar plans too. The project, with a capacity to produce 7,200 litres per hour, was conceived in 2006 and the water supply and sewerages act was amended for it.
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Get the app