Pullad: A ₹482 crore drinking water project meant to quench the thirst of 1.5 lakh people across seven panchayats remains mired in land disputes, years after it was launched.

The Koipuram comprehensive drinking water project has hit a roadblock before land acquisition for key infrastructure could be completed. With ₹270 crore sanctioned for the project to be utilised before December 2028, the delay has raised fears that the funds could lapse, leaving residents waiting longer for relief from chronic drinking water shortages.

“When the project was inaugurated, we expected the work to begin soon. But even the well has not been constructed,” said V Mohan of Varappuzhayath, a resident of Poovathoor. Piling work had been carried out on the land acquired for the well and pump house, but officials now visit the site only occasionally, he said.

The project was conceived in 2015 to serve Thottapuzhassery and Koipuram panchayats at an estimated cost of ₹85 crore. In 2019, five more panchayats - Puramattom, Kallooppara, Ezhumattoor, Kunnathanam and Eraviperoor — were added, expanding the project’s coverage and pushing the estimated cost to ₹482 crore.

Funded through the Union government’s Jal Jeevan Mission, the project has ₹95 crore earmarked for the well alone and ₹10.56 crore for land acquisition. A 25-cent plot was purchased at Poovathoor, on the banks of the Pampa, for the well. Soil testing and test piling were also completed for the proposed pump house. At Vellikkara, 30 cents was acquired for a water tank with a capacity of 20 lakh litres. However, a dispute has stalled the acquisition of three acres belonging to a private landowner, with five land-related cases pending.

As the litigation dragged on, the presidents of the gram panchayats covered by the project proposed identifying an alternative site and proceeding with construction rather than waiting for the cases to be settled. A ministerial-level meeting approved the proposal in February, but seven months later, the government is yet to take a decision. The delay has persisted even after a new government assumed power in the state.

Meanwhile, some landowners have expressed willingness to part with their properties, subject to certain conditions. The Hyderabad-based Everest company was awarded the construction contract in November 2024 after the panchayat presidents assured it that land for the plant would be identified within two months.

Alternative site identified

The impasse over land acquisition came up at a meeting convened by Minister Mons Joseph on September 2, at the request of MLA Pazhakulam Madhu, to discuss drinking water issues in the Ranni constituency. Following this, the minister asked officials to examine whether the government order sanctioning ₹10.56 crore for the original site could be amended to permit the acquisition of alternative land. The meeting also decided that the order could be revised if there were no legal impediments.

Meanwhile, an alternative plot has been identified to replace the disputed property at Vellikkara. Revising the government order would allow the land to be acquired and pave the way for construction of the water tank.

“This issue affects 1.5 lakh people. The government and MLAs must intervene urgently to complete the project. Instead of waiting for land caught up in litigation, the government order should be revised to facilitate the acquisition of an alternative site. The project must be completed before 2028,” said T K Ramachandran Nair, Koipuram block panchayat president.

Neethu George Mammen Kondoor, a district panchayat member, said ensuring drinking water for residents should be the priority. The issue should be resolved either by settling the disputes with landowners or by acquiring alternative property, she said. “The Irrigation and Revenue departments must work together to resolve the issue. We have submitted a representation to the Chief Minister and the Ministers for Revenue and Irrigation,” she said.