A severe shortage of drinking water has hit the flood-affected regions of Ranni, including Ittiyappara, Petta, Perumpuzha, and Vadasserikkara. As raging river waters inundated these residential areas, domestic wells were contaminated with thick silt and organic waste. Before residents can use these wells again, they must be completely drained and sanitised. However, with river levels remaining dangerously high, immediate well cleaning is impractical due to the constant threat of secondary flooding.

Labour shortage stalls well-cleaning efforts
Compounding the issue is an acute shortage of local labourers skilled in well desilting. Desperate families are now exploring ways to bring in workers from neighbouring states to restore their water sources. Meanwhile, municipal water supply networks have ground to a halt. Local MLA Pazhakulam Madhu stated that high contamination levels in the Pamba River have suspended pumping in key distribution networks, including the Angadi scheme. Pumping can only resume once the submerged motors are repaired and the pump houses desilted. Water supply schemes in Vechoochira, Adichippuzha, Kollamula, Kurumbanmoozhy, Vadasserikkara, and Ranni-Cherukol-Naranganam are currently facing the same crisis.

Tons of floating waste choke public spaces
Every flood leaves Ranni dealing with tons of accumulated waste. When water levels rose in the commercial hubs of Ittiyappara, Petta, and Perunad, garbage dumped behind shops and buildings drifted into the streets. Flooded public roads and bus stands are now littered with plastic bags, packed sacks of refuse, and decomposing domestic waste. This sudden accumulation of debris has doubled the workload of local panchayats, who have had to hire private vehicles to clear the rubbish from public thoroughfares.

A growing environmental hazard
Disposing of this waste has become a massive challenge. Since the state-run Clean Kerala Company refuses to accept wet, decayed flood debris, local panchayats have been forced to dump the collected organic waste in open public spaces and vacant properties around the Ittiyappara bus stand. The resulting stench has made life unbearable for residents in nearby areas. The situation is reminiscent of the devastating 2018 floods, when damaged food grain stocks from flooded state-run Maveli Stores had to be dumped in public spaces, sparking similar public health concerns.