Joint MD also on leave: Water authority without head, functioning to be affected

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With joint MD going on leave after managing director Bhandari Swagat Ranveer Chand, the water authority will be a department without a head. Project activities will also be affected. Joint MD Dinesan Cheruvath will be on leave from June 3. Technical member S Sethukumar, who has to take charge in the absence of both, will retire on the 31st. The recruitment process has not started yet.

The charge of MD was supposed to be handed over to the Joint MD till he goes on leave, but that has not happened yet. The interim charge of the MD has not been handed over to the Secretary of the Water Authority. Therefore, it is impossible to take policy decisions.

This will also affect the supervision activities of 50,000 crore projects through Jal Jeevan Mission, Amrit, KIIFB etc. Regular review meetings of the Jal Jeevan Mission were also suspended in the absence of the MD. Only 40% of the project to bring drinking water to all rural households by 2024 has been completed so far.

The Jala Authority is headed by the Chairman, MD and Joint MD. The chairman should preside over the meeting of the board of directors. MD will look after day-to-day matters. Joint MD is responsible for expediting projects. Dinesan Cheruvath, Joint MD, has the full additional charge of Jalanidhi Executive Director.

No Accounts Member

The post of Accounts Member, who is supposed to present the affairs of the Water Authority Finance Department in the Board meeting, is vacant from 2021 onwards. Accounts Member is responsible utilization of funds for projects including Jal Jeevan.