The combine of trade unions in the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) will continue with its protests against the proposed Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Kerala Urban Water Services Improvement Project (KUWSIP) in Kochi as talks held with Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine on Tuesday failed to make headway on the issue.
The trade unions will take out a march to the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on November 26, besides holding a dharna in front of the Kochi Corporation office on November 22 demanding steps to ensure the protection of the public water distribution system.
“We are not against the government receiving ADB assistance for the project. But the move should not result in the privatisation of the water supply network in Kochi,” said P. Unnikrishnan, general secretary, Kerala Water Authority Employees’ Union (CITU). “The Minister had agreed to verify our concerns and continue the discussions,” he added.
The ₹2,511-crore KUWSIP was accorded administrative sanction in 2020. Of this, the ADB loan accounted for 70%, while the remaining 30%, around ₹750 crore, should be raised by the State government. Later, it was decided to implement the first phase of the project within the Kochi city limits. Two projects — renovation of the drinking water distribution network and an expression of interest for the selection of a project consultant — had been tendered initially.
Trade unions had alleged that the KWA had a peripheral role in drawing up the project estimate. Instead, the ADB consultant had prepared the estimate, and it was accorded technical sanction after some minor tweaks by then KWA officials, they alleged.
Published – November 20, 2024 07:59 pm IST