Kerala - Kochi

Rally for proper water supply

Staff Reporter

Residents of Vypeen, Edakochi take out rally to Collector's Camp Office

KOCHI: The residents of Vypeen and Edakochi took out a march to the District Collector's Camp Office on Monday, demanding improvement in water supply to Vypeen and west Kochi.

The march, organised by the Vypeen Kudivella Samara Samithi, began from the High Court Junction around 11 a.m. and was inaugurated by CPI(ML) State secretary K. Sivaraman.

Edakochi Kudivella Samara Samithi convener Benny Joseph, CPI(ML) district secretary M.K. Krishnankutty, Yuvajanavedi district president M.B. Jayaghosh, Vypeen Kudivella Samara Samithi convener C.G. Biju and Samithi leader K.S. Sindhu addressed the march.

The march was stopped by the police near Maharaja's College on the way to the Camp Office. The Collector and other officials were taking part in a conference convened by Fisheries Minister S. Sarma to review the drought-relief measures being taken in the district, at Kakkanad at the same time.

The protestors met Additional Tahsildar Jolly Philip and handed over a memorandum containing demands to be brought to the attention of the conference being held at Kakkanad.

Hundreds of women with children took part in the march.

Their demands include the completion of the Ad hoc Water Supply Augmentation Scheme (Hudco Scheme) on a war footing, providing 3 MLD (million litres per day) of water promised to Vypeen on the commissioning of the Vypeen component of the Hudco Scheme, supplying water in barges to the Edakochi region till the Hudco Scheme is completed and completing the maintenance work of the distribution system and pumping lines on time.

Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said that the people's demands would be raised at the constituency-level meeting to be held on Tuesday to assess the drought situation.
(THe Hindu - May 23, 2006)