Kozhikode people pin their hopes on JICA The city’s proximity to the sea that makes its groundwater saline and the presence of many hills, to which pumping water faces several hurdles, make Kozhikode always thirsty for drinking water. The crisis peaks in the summer, when open wells go dry and water level in the distribution authorities’ sources take a plunge. Several villages along the 71-km coastline rely on the supply by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) or local bodies for drinking water. So are the residents in elevated areas around the city such as Pallimalakkunnu, Kacherikkunnu, Eravathukunnu, and Pokkunnu. The higher altitude put them in a disadvantageous position when it comes to drinking water, especially in the summer. Water had been perennially scarce in places such as Pallimalakunnu, located in Kottooli village, here. Water supply is erratic as gravity flow from the reservoir has been found unfeasible. During summer, 200-odd residents of the hill begin to wait for the water tanker — their only resort. The residents have witnessed several half-baked attempts from authorities to tide over water scarcity, but everything remains on paper. Skirmishes over drinking water are common among people in the coastal villages. “We are just back from the local police station after the police summoned us following a fight between two neighbours while collecting water when the supply resumed after three days on Wednesday,” says N. Radhamani, a resident of Panikkar Road, a coastal village. Canoly Canal Shortage of drinking water is a serious concern for hundreds of residents on both sides of the 11.2-km Canoly Canal in the city. The wells on either side of the canal are either saline or putrefied as the canal is polluted by untreated effluents from hotels, houses, and hospitals. “It is hard to manage when the summer peaks, as the supply from the corporation line is often erratic,” says O. Lalitha, a resident of Karaparamba in the city. With the multi-crore Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-aided drinking water project set for commissioning by the end of May, after five long years, the district is pinning its hope on the project. The Rs.805.6-crore project, to provide 174 mld (million litres per day) of water from the Peruvannamuzhi reservoir, is expected to benefit 13 lakh people and provide over one lakh domestic connections. The project will supply drinking water to Kozhikode city and over a dozen grama panchayats, including Balussery, Peruvayall and Olavanna, which face a drought-like situation during summer. At present, the city requires 140 mld, but the KWA is only able to supply 50 mld. The JICA-project will ensure that water is supplied on a daily basis. Even amidst the expectations, there are some sections of residents, in localities such as Pallimalakkunnu, who are not sure of the JICA-aided project serving them at least in its first phase. According to Jose T. Thomas, a resident of Pallimalakunnu, the area is 40 m high from the sea level, whereas the reservoir for the Malaparamba zone, under which Pallimalakunnu comes, is only 36 m high. “We have already brought this issue to the notice of the authorities, who have promised to look into it,” Mr. Thomas said. Second phase JICA project director K.G. Harshan told The Hindu that the entire region would not be covered in the first phase of the project. “We have already prepared a proposal for the second phase, which is expected to be completed in a year or so,” said Mr. Harshan. Chief Engineer of the project Ratheesh Kumar maintained that all possibilities would be tapped to make drinking water available to the neediest in the first phase of the project itself. “The issue relating to places such as Pallimalakkunnu can be solved by introducing a booster line for the area,” he said. Meanwhile, district groundwater authorities are finding relief in the fact that water shortage in the district is not as severe as it was last year. “If we had received over 100 applications for borewells during April last year, we have only got less than 30 applications in April so far this year,” said P. Gopakumar, district officer of the Groundwater Department.