Sewer line to spare homes in Capital

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The people affected by the Pattoor sewerage can heave a sigh of relief as the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has decided against demolishing the 20 houses, underneath which the proposed sewer line was to pass. The KWA authorities has entrusted its technical member G Sreekumar to get Rs 1.18 crore funds from the government so that a new sewer line of 560 m can be laid through the main road. But if the work were not fast-tracked, health issues will mount since sewage from the affected households are being pumped into the nearby Pattoor canal that empties into the Akkulam lake.

Following the report by The New Indian Express on Friday, which highlighted the grave issue of the possibility of demolishing 20 houses plus the three buildings belonging to the corporation, the KWA officials finally got into the act. Also, the health hazard posed by the drainage being pumped into the Pattoor canal for the past month has seen no favourable action coming from the part of the KWA. The other day, top KWA  officials had gone into a huddle  for a virtual meeting at which they maintained that it is not feasible to demolish the 20 households. Finally, it was decided to lay a new 560 m-long line through the road. A KWA official said that administrative sanction has to be received from the government sanctioning Rs 1.18 crore towards the completion of the work.

“Now, the ball is in the court of the KWA board members to put the proposal before the  government to sanction the estimate earmarked towards the construction of the new sewer line through the Pattoor road. KWA technical member Sreekumar has been entrusted with the task of  ensuring  that the funds are received at the earliest,” said a KWA official.But what is worrying the local people and the KWA officials is the manner in which the work would have to be expedited.

Already the drainage fro 20 households has been pumped into the Pattoor canal which poses serious health issues.  Sulphi Noohu, state secretary, Indian Medical Association, flagged the threat of E. coli infection. “E.coli bacteria can cause serious gastrointestinal problems to septicemia, which can affect the lives of people. So when drainage matter is being pumped into the Pattoor canal, chances of the bacteria level going up is bound to create dangerous health issues,” he said.