Rights panel seeks steps to resolve drinking water shortage in Cheranalloor panchayat in Keralam’s Kochi

State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Chairperson Alexander Thomas has ordered steps to resolve drinking water shortage in various wards of Cheranalloor panchayat.

The Commission ordered the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) Executive Engineer to designate an assistant executive engineer to conduct a site inspection to identify the cause of drinking water shortage. A notice regarding the inspection must be given to the Cheranalloor panchayat president and ward members. Based on the inspection report, the Executive Engineer must rectify the issues and submit a report to the Commission within five weeks.

The Commission ordered that the assistant executive engineer, representing the Executive Engineer and the Cheranalloor grama panchayat secretary, submit a report at its next sitting on October 23 at the PWD Rest House at Pathadippalam.

The Commission took up the matter suo motu based on a newspaper report.

Residents of wards 7 and 8 in Chittoor area of ​​the panchayat have not received drinking water from the KWA for two weeks, according to a communication from the Commission.

Ernakulam MLA T.J. Vinod, who had recently raised the matter with Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph, said the region had been facing an acute water crisis. “I had taken up the matter with the Minister himself. He assured that the issue would be resolved at the earliest,” he said.