The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) on Wednesday demanded urgent measures for tackling a potential drought situation in the State during the summer. Raising the issue in the Assembly during the Question Hour, UDF MLAs also wanted the Government to urgently settle pending bills of Kerala Water Authority (KWA) contractors who have refused to carry out work.
Water Resources Minister K. Krishnankutty said storage in the Irrigation Department dams were higher compared to last year. He added that his Department has initiated measures to settle the pending bills.
Rise in temperature
In a written reply to a related question, the Minister quoted an IMD advisory which warned that the day temperatures in Kerala could rise by 0.5 to one degree celsius during March and April.
Steps have been taken to conserve water, dig well and repair pump sets in KWA plants ahead of the summer, the Minister said. To ensure water availability during the summer months, the Water Resources Department has also completed the construction of 30 temporary check dams across the State, the Minister said.
In order to address the water shortage in Ernakulam district, the department has given administrative sanction for works worth ₹80 lakh for establishing tanker water vending points, he said. While a rise in temperature could exacerbate a drought, the State can overcome it if it gets adequate summer rainfall, he said.