THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city is reeling under a severe water shortage. A solution has not been found even today on the shortage of water for three days. Partial pumping started this morning but had to be stopped after a leak was found in the valve. Laying of pipes has not been completed. With this, it is almost certain that people will go without water even today. Minister V Sivankutty had assured yesterday that water would be supplied to low-lying areas before noon today. People are protesting in many places due to the shortage of water.

Pumping, which had been suspended to change the existing 500 mm and 700 mm pipeline alignment in connection with the doubling of the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil railway line, was partially resumed yesterday but was later stopped.

The water supply from 4 MLD and 75 MLD plants in Aruvikkara was stopped for the past few days due to the road doubling work. The 75 MLD plant started functioning on Friday night. The water supply from the 74 MLD plant started at around 9 am yesterday, but it was directed to stop the water supply by 1 pm.

Pumping started after intermittently closing the supply pipe. Pumping stopped due to back pressure in this pipe. Some low-lying areas up to Vellayambalam received partial water supply, but that too was halted after the pumping was stopped. Due to the ongoing repair work, fresh water supply was completely suspended in 11 wards out of 33 wards.

The tankers owned by the corporation had supplied one load of water to the wards, but when that was not enough, the people protested severely. In Poonthura ward, under the leadership of Congress, water was distributed in a water tanker. The corporation informed that the water supply in tankers will continue in these areas till the full pumping starts.

As water became unavailable, sale of bottled water increased. A 20 liter can of water was sold for Rs 70 yesterday. It costs only Rs 60 in the market. Most households bought more than a can.

Meanwhile, Antony Raju MLA informed the chief minister that water authority, Smart City and Road Fund Board are complicating the problem by blaming each other. The MLA demanded strict action against the officials. Antony Raju also pointed out that there is criminal negligence on the part of the concerned in introducing alternative system while changing the pipelines, stopping the operation of the plants, stopping the water supply in the name of construction of the Smart City project.