Kerala will introduce a comprehensive water policy in early 2027 as part of a major reform of the drinking water and irrigation sectors, Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph announced in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. The policy will bring together various departments under the Water Resources Department, with the aim of making the Water Authority and other agencies more efficient and people-friendly, he said.
Source: IANS via Hi India
A Kerala Water Conclave will be held in Thiruvananthapuram in the first week of December to discuss the policy with experts. The government will also launch a pilot project in the capital to check water loss during distribution: nearly half the water pumped from Aruvikkara is lost before reaching consumers, and new technology will be used to identify and prevent such losses. If the pilot succeeds, it will be introduced across the state, the minister said.
From January, committees headed by MLAs will be formed in all 140 Assembly constituencies to address local drinking water and irrigation problems, with local body representatives and officials of the Water Authority, PWD and Local Self-Government Department as members. The committees will meet every month, district-level reviews will be held every three months under the district Collectors, and the minister will review their work every six months.
The government has also changed the system for repairing roads dug up for laying water pipes. The PWD will restore state roads and local bodies will repair village and panchayat roads, while the Water Authority will transfer the required funds to the respective departments, the minister said. An official order will follow a meeting of senior officials.
Source: ANI via Saptashwa TV
On the Mullaperiyar dam issue, Kerala will file a special petition in the Supreme Court to implement its 2024 verdict allowing a detailed safety inspection of the dam, with senior advocate Mohan V. Kattarki appointed as lead counsel, and will seek the Centre's intervention to resolve the dispute with Tamil Nadu. A safety assessment of 22 dams under the Irrigation Department and the Water Authority will be completed by December 31, Joseph said.
The state will hold talks with the Union Jal Shakti Ministry to secure nearly Rs 8,000 crore due from the Centre, and a Rs 7,000 crore NABARD loan has helped clear a major part of the dues owed to contractors, the minister said. The government will also implement a Rs 4,000 crore coastal protection project with the help of the Asian Development Bank, covering Chellanam, Pozhiyoor and 10 other major coastal hotspots, and is considering seawater desalination plants for coastal areas.
Joseph said the government aimed to complete all possible projects within two years and improve drinking water supply across the state. A master plan will be prepared to find a lasting solution to drinking water shortages in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kazhakkoottam and Technocity, and steps are being taken to speed up Jal Jeevan Mission projects, he said.