Crores spent, but Ranni water scheme leaves residents high and dry

Ranni: The infrastructure is in place and water is available, yet residents continue to face shortages as the Kerala Water Authority has failed to ensure supply. Delays in executing works under the Jal Jeevan Mission have only worsened the situation, laying bare the current state of the Ranni major water supply scheme.

The project is intended to serve the villages of Ranni, Pazhavangadi and Vadasserikkara. It envisages pumping water from the Pamba river at Chandakkadavu to the treatment plant at Anappara Mala, from where the purified water is distributed through storage tanks at Anapparamala, Thattekkadu, Thekkummala, Chellakkad Puzhikkunnu, Karikulam, Valiyakulam and Aithala College Thadam. The supply network is to be supported by boosting stations at Ittiyappara, Chellakkad, Puthusserimala Bottom, Anathadam and Puthusserimala Top.

Existing schemes at Karikulam and Puzhikkunnu have already been integrated with the project, while the Aithala and Madathumpadi schemes are also proposed to be linked with it.

Rs.20 crore more required
At present, the project has a capacity of 7.50 MLD, which is now proposed to be enhanced to 10 MLD. Administrative sanction of Rs.53.80 crore has already been granted for the upgrade, and an additional ₹20 crore has been sought from the government.

New storage tanks are planned at Anapparamala Plant Area 1A (10 lakh litres), Anapparamala Plant (7 lakh litres), Thattekkadu (4 lakh litres), Anathadam (80,000 litres), Puthusserimala Top (4.75 lakh litres), Kombanoli (60,000 litres) and Madathumpadi (60,000 litres). Of these, only the storage facility at Puthusserimala Top has been completed so far.

Pump sets remain only on paper
New pump sets are yet to be installed at several key points, including Chandakkadavu pump house (two 170 HP units), Anapparamala plant (two 22 HP units and two 19 HP units), Ittiyappara boosting station (two 67 HP units and two 36 HP units), Anathadam (two 23 HP units and two 18 HP units), Chellakkad (two 21 HP units and two 15 HP units), Puthusserimala Bottom (two 96 HP units), Kombanoli (two 36 HP units) and Puthusserimala Top (two 27 HP units).

In addition, a power substation and transformer room near the pump house, as well as a substation facility near the treatment plant, are yet to be constructed. The capacity of the treatment plant also remains to be enhanced. None of these works have been initiated so far.

Pipes lie idle on roadsides
The 400 mm diameter pipes, meant to carry water over a 500-metre stretch from the pump house to the treatment plant, were delivered months ago and unloaded near Chandakkadavu. However, installation work has not yet begun, and the pipes now lie unused, overgrown with vegetation.Similarly, 250 mm diameter pipelines are required to be laid from the plant to Thottamon Ambalam Padi to connect with the existing network and ensure water distribution. This too remains pending.

Land has already been made available free of cost for constructing a new storage facility at Anathadam. Despite multiple tenders being floated, no contractor has come forward to take up the work.

Panchayat support crucial
As the summer intensifies, acute water scarcity is being felt in the higher regions of the project area. Residents are largely dependent on water supplied through tanker lorries arranged by the concerned panchayats. In the absence of such support, many are forced to purchase water at their own expense. Complaints about the lack of water supply through existing pipelines are also widespread while a lasting solution remains distant.