TIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The city zoo which has been grappling with water scarcity for the past few days has finally been able to breathe easy.
The water supply which was partially hit for close to two and a half days, has been restored.
“By Monday night we were able to get water.
The past two days were extremely taxing for us.
Had they at least provided water in the night, we would have been able to tide over the situation.
Now everything is back to normalcy,” says Zoo superintendent T V Anil Kumar.
The pipeline which feeds the zoo store, canteen and which supplies drinking water to the enclosures of the monkeys was hit.
Although water has started coming in, the Kerala Water Authority has said that the issue has not been sorted out completely.
We are still working on it and have not been able to identify the cause.
We have observed a shortage in one of the lines and a team of four are working on resolving it,” says superintending engineer Suresh Chandran.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With summer peaking and water bodies drying up, the coastal belt from Poonthura to Pozhiyoor is facing an acute water shortage.
The situation at Vizhinjam is such that the residents have to depend on private water tankers to quench their thirst.
“Everyday, the residents have to stand on long queues to collect water from the private parties, who are exploiting our situation.
The situation is no different at Poonthura, Pozhiyoor and Valiyathura.
Moreover, the government promise to supply water in tankers has also not been fulfilled yet,” Dolly said.
He added regular water supply, however, has not been restored yet.
‘No information on scarcity’ District Panchayat president V K Madhu said the water supply through the tanker lorries had not begun as they are yet to receive any information regarding water scarcity in the coastal areas.
The district panchayat has also started implementing the Rs 200 crore ‘Jalasaree’ project to restore old ponds and water bodies and dig new ones.
“It is true that the coastal areas have issues.
However, I will check with the authorities and will do my best to ensure a regular water supply”, Shainamol said.

Crisis in Nedumangadu despite good SW monsoon.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Several areas at Nedumangadu has already started experiencing water scarcity despite a sumptuous South-West monsoon last year.
“Wells at the panchayats of Peringammala, Vithura, Panavoor, Pullampara, Vembayam, Kallara and Vamanapu-ram have started to dry up.
The intensity of rains has nothing to do with water levels in our hilly areas as all of it runs down faster into Arabian sea.
New water projects in areas like Tholikkodu, Aanad, Pullampara areas at least two years from completion.
Vamanapuram River, the primary water drinking water source has dried up early and pumping for small drinking water projects could not happen.
“Last year, by January second week we had run out of the water.
This year, was no different.
The Kallar has started to dry up already,” said Rohit N a resident of Tholikkodu.
The officials, as planned during last summer were planning to use portable plants filter to utilise water from abandoned granite quarries for drinking purpose.

How will the capital city fare this year when it comes to drinking water?
You really can’t blame anyone for asking.
This time last year, the state capital was heading toward a major drinking water crisis on account of the drought.But this year the situation may not be that critical, say officials of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA).
The Peppara dam, the chief source of drinking water for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation area, has adequate storage, KWA officials said.
Last year, against all expectations, water levels in Peppara had dipped alarmingly forcing KWA to fall back on Neyyar which does not have a dedicated supply scheme for the capital city.
Water had to be pumped from Neyyar into Peppara reservoir to supply potable water to the city from the pumping station at Aruvikkara.
On Thursday, the water storage levels in Neyyar dam stood at 83.35 metres.
The maximum storage level of the dam is 84.75 metres.
‘’This year we have ensured maximum water storage in the dam in view of last year’s drought.
In the summer months, consumption rises further.

Thiruvananthapuram faces drought despite rains.
Ground water department has been recording massive dip in the wells that they monitor in this area.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though monsoon showers have blessed city sumptuously, several panchayats in southern part of capital continue to reel under water crisis.
Some of the areas that fall under Athiyanoor block panchayat area has been the worst drought affected, consistently, during the past decades.
Ground water department has been recording massive dip in the wells that they monitor in this area.
“We, people’s representatives, have requested the district administration to expedite long pending local water projects in places such as Kulathoor, Karode, Chenakal, Athiyanoor and Kottukal panchayat,” he said.
The water projects primarily involve rejuvenating pounds and tapping them for drinking purposes.
“Karode, for instance has around 50 to 58 ponds that can be rejuvenated.
We plans to make a grid of ponds that can be tapped for drinking water purposes and agricultural purpose.
An approval from central government was awaited,” an official said.

Locals see red over Kinfra exploitation of water in Thiruvananthapuram.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Local people on Monday blockaded Kinfra international apparel park near Thumba alleging that the companies there were overexploiting ground water.
The blockade, led by the Kinfra Joint Action Council, began in the morning.
According to the demonstrators, the over 80 industries and allied agencies in the park had constructed four huge wells to draw the water which has left neighbouring residential areas high and dry in the summer.
The demonstrators demanded that the pumping of water from these wells should be stopped with immediate effect.
They also wanted the waste water generated in the industrial premises processed properly, and closure of all industries in the park which fail to follow the pollution norms set by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board.
The coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram, especially Veli and Thumba and their neighbourhood have been hit hard by water scarcity during the current summer season.
In most of the coastal belt water trickles down through public taps only a few times a week.
Oxygen cylinders are supplied to the hospital from Kinfra Park.
Hospital officials, however, said hospital activities were not hit on Monday due to the blockade.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Water Authority has issued guidelines on the usage of water and warned of strong action to curb its misuse in the wake of the severe drinking water shortage.
It has imposed a 25 percent cut in the water supplied to Thiruvananthapuram and enforced restrictions in the supply between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The water from Peppara is released daily to Aruvikkara reservoir from where it is supplied to the city now.
Even water from bathrooms or flush can be used for purposes like watering plants, Fr Kurian said.
Avoid car wash: Refrain from washing vehicles using KWA water.
KWA drinking water should not be used for gardening.
Drink warm water, not cold The health department has issued an advisory to the people on the consumption of water to prevent the outbreak of diseases in the wake of the summer heat and shortage of water.
Action likely against car wash centres using drinking water The Kerala Water Authority may consider actions against car wash centres that ‘waste’ drinking water during the drought situation.
“Car wash centres that have KWA connection should use wells or other water bodies.
We do not supply purified water for vehicle washing purposes.