Thiruvananthapuram: The state govt will formulate a comprehensive water policy by integrating various departments under the water resources department to address challenges in drinking water supply and irrigation, water resources minister Mons Joseph said on Monday.The policy, aimed at making the water resources department and Kerala water authority (KWA) more efficient and people-friendly, will be announced in early 2027. As part of the initiative, govt will organise a Kerala Water Conclave in Thiruvananthapuram in the first week of Dec, bringing together experts, including international disaster management specialist Muralee Thummarukudy, the minister told a news conference.One of the major initiatives will be a pilot project to identify and reduce water loss in the city’s distribution network. Nearly half the drinking water pumped from Aruvikkara is reportedly lost before reaching consumers. Govt plans to use new technology to identify leakages and address the problem. If successful, the technology will be extended across the state.Govt is also considering desalination plants to convert seawater into drinking water in coastal areas. To tackle the severe spread of water weeds in Kuttanad and Upper Kuttanad, it will explore foreign technologies to process the weeds into value-added products. An expert committee has been constituted to study the possibilities and submit recommendations.To improve coordination in addressing drinking water and irrigation issues, committees will be formed in all 140 Assembly constituencies from Jan, with the respective MLAs as chairpersons. The committees will include local body representatives and officials from KWA, PWD and the LSG department. They will meet every month, followed by district-level reviews every three months under the district collector and ministerial-level reviews every six months.Govt has also decided to change the existing arrangement for restoring roads dug up by KWA for pipeline installation. PWD will directly undertake restoration of roads under its jurisdiction, while LSG institutions will restore rural and panchayat roads. KWA will transfer the required restoration funds to the respective departments. An official order will be issued after a high-level meeting between the departments concerned.On the Mullaperiyar dam issue, the state govt will file a special petition to implement the 2024 Supreme Court verdict permitting a detailed safety inspection of the dam. Senior advocate Mohan V Kattarki has been appointed as the lead counsel. Govt will also seek active intervention from the Centre to resolve the dispute with Tamil Nadu. The state has informed Supreme Court that it has complied with the conditions prescribed by the court regarding the baby dam.A comprehensive safety assessment of 22 dams under the irrigation department and KWA will be completed by Dec 31, the minister said.
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