Dispute among Water Authority engineers over installation of new plant at Aruvikkara

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A dispute has broken out among the water authority's engineers over the installation of a new drinking water treatment plant at Aruvikkara that supplies drinking water to Thiruvananthapuram city. While one group of engineers is advocating for the new plant, the other group is opposing it citing the scarcity of water in Aruvikkara. The engineers got into a heated disagreement over this at the recent Water Authority Board meeting. With this, the final decision was left to the Chief Engineer. No decision has been made yet regarding the matter. 99 crores had been sanctioned under the AMRUT scheme for laying pipes to bring 30 million more water from Aruvikkara to the city. However, an executive engineer proposed the new plant by cancelling this project. Even the water required for the four plants is not available from Aruvikkara. As a result, there is a severe water shortage in Kazhakootam, Vizhinjam, Venganoor, Manvila, Technopark and Powdikonam. Therefore, those opposing the new plant are saying that it is foolish to set up a new plant. At present, there are five plants in the capital city (Four at Aruvikkara and one at Vellayambalam).

Neyyar project is needed

The engineers are demanding that instead of the new plant, the 120 MLD plant at Neyyar, which was envisaged in 2017, should be implemented soon. Although the 62.39 crore project was tendered 5 times, Only Chicago Constructions International Pvt Ltd operating at Kochhar road in Sasthamangalamparticipated. The company quoted Rs 91.09 crores. This amount was 46 percent more than the tender amount. If the amount quoted is 10 percent more than the estimate, then the permission of the government is required to award the contract. The file regarding this is before the government for a long time.