Thiruvananthapuram's water crisis forces educational institutions to close. Education

The supply of drinking water by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to houses and commercial establishments under 40 wards of the municipal corporation was disrupted for the past four days due to works on changing alignment of the main transmission line at Melarannur. The alignment of the water pipeline had to be changed due to doubling works of the Thiruvananthapuram – Nagarcoil railway line.

While pumping of the drinking water supply began early Monday morning, the district administration declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including schools, within the corporation limits. Exams on Monday in schools have been rescheduled.

By Monday afternoon, several areas of the state capital began receiving water while those in higher areas continued to be deprived. The Youth Congress and KSU, student outfit of Congress, conducted agitations demanding action against errant officials.

According to officials, while the repair work on the alignment began on Thursday and was expected to be completed in 48 hours, an unexpected leak in a sluice valve prolonged the works, depriving large swathes of the capital city. Tankers were operated by the city corporation and the KWA all through Sunday, but the demand was high.

Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine said a probe would be conducted to determine who was responsible for the leak that caused delay in the supply of drinking water for over four days.