Anu Kuruvilla By Express News Service KOCHI: The inspection drive undertaken as part of Operation Pure Water has revealed several violations being committed by tankers transporting drinking water in the district. Each day, an average five tankers are found flouting the guidelines set by the district administration under the initiative, which aims at ensuring the supply of high-quality water in the district “The directive clearly asks tankers not to take water for supply from abandoned quarries but source it from hydrants set up by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) at its stations. However, in the inspections which began from December 24, we found several tankers sourcing water from private wells and other water bodies,” said an official with the district Pollution Control Board (PCB). Teams, comprising officials from the PCB, Food Safety Department and the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), have been constituted for the inspection drive. “During the drive, the teams flagged down water tankers randomly, collected water samples and sent them for testing,” said the official. He said the tests revealed the presence of coliform bacteria, which was proof that the water had been collected from wells or other sources. “Had the tankers sourced water from KWA hydrants, the tests would have revealed the presence of residual chlorine,” the official said. Improper labelling The PCB official said the inspections also revealed that some tankers even violated labelling rules. “The team came across tankers painted blue but labelled ‘water’ instead of ‘drinking water’. On inquiry, it was found the tankers were transporting water for domestic consumption,” he said. All tankers found violating rules were impounded and handed over to the MVD. The official admitted that there were certain limitations in sourcing water from KWA hydrants. “The tankers are huge and the area near the KWA stations is not enough for them to manoeuvre. This leads to traffic congestion,” he said, adding, “We will present our inspection reports and suggestions at the meeting called by the Assembly Committee on Petitions,” he said. Residents fear taps may run dry While flat dwellers worry that the stipulations regarding transportation of drinking water by tankers might affect them, other residents in the city fear their taps might run dry what with tankers sourcing water from KWA. “The ban on collecting water from quarries is good, asking tankers to source water only from KWA hydrants is not,” said P Rangadasa Prabhu, president, Ernakulam District Residents’ Associations Apex Council (EDRAAC). He said several flats in the city have their own system of purification. “It is said tankers can source 400 loads of water from the hydrants. Imagine what it will do to the city’s water supply? During peak summer, when water level in the river also goes down, the supply will be further hit,” he said. Alleging that entire gamut aimed at generating profit for KWA, he said, “If they are to proceed with the plan, the authorities should establish a proper auditing mechanism. “I will be suggesting the same at the meeting with the assembly committee,” said Prabhu.

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