Council meeting witnesses heated exchanges over drinking water scarcity; LDF, UDF stage walkout

T'puram: A deepening drinking water crisis in the capital triggered dramatic scenes in the city corporation council on Monday, with councillors from both the opposition LDF and UDF staging a walkout, even as the ruling BJP intensified protests with a march to Kerala Water Authority (KWA) office.Accusing authorities of failing to ensure adequate supply during peak summer, councillors demanded urgent intervention and accountability from KWA. At the outset of the meeting, deputy mayor G S Asha Nath introduced a resolution backing the Women's Reservation Bill, which was recently rejected in Parliament after being linked to the delimitation exercise. LDF and UDF councillors, however, questioned the relevance of taking up a resolution on a defeated bill when more urgent civic issues required attention. Opposition councillors pressed for an immediate discussion on the drinking water crisis, but mayor V V Rajesh maintained that it could be taken up only after the listed agenda items were completed. In protest, LDF and UDF members displayed placards and banners, accusing the corporation of inaction. As they held firm to their demand, the mayor eventually relented and agreed to take up the issue for discussion. As tensions escalated, opposition councillors walked out of the meeting in protest, alleging that the civic administration had not taken effective steps to address the crisis or present a concrete action plan. The walkout underscored the growing political consensus that the situation reached critical levels, cutting across party divides. Meanwhile, BJP stepped up its agitation by organising a protest march to KWA office, blaming both state govt and civic body for the acute shortage. BJP leaders alleged mismanagement and lack of preparedness, stating that residents in many areas were struggling to access even basic drinking water. The party demanded immediate remedial measures, including increased tanker supply and infrastructure repairs. The party workers also gheraoed the chief engineer. The crisis comes amid an already strained water supply system in the capital, exacerbated by declining reservoir levels, ageing pipelines and rising summer demand. Reports indicate that several localities have been facing intermittent or severely reduced water supply in recent weeks, forcing residents to depend on tanker services and alternative sources. Frequent disruptions due to pipeline leaks and maintenance work have further compounded the problem, affecting large parts of the city and intensifying public dissatisfaction. With political tempers rising and public pressure mounting, calls are growing for coordinated action between KWA, corporation and state govt to implement both immediate relief measures and long-term solutions to stabilise the water supply system.
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