Kottayam: The central districts of Kottayam and Alappuzha bore the brunt of the recent downpour in Kerala. Though several parts of the region lay submerged in flood, people are short of safe drinking water. Hundreds of families in Iranjal, Nattassery and Parampuzha areas of Kottayam town are left without a drop of drinking water as the filth that the flood brought remains in water-bodies and wells though flood waters have receded. Water in most of the wells have a terrible stench.

As a double whammy, drinking water supply through the Water Authority pipelines has been severely disrupted. Taps are running dry at most places in the town limits. 

As water for drinking and cooking ran short at many houses, the authorities of Vijayapuram panchayat, close to Kottayam town, swung into action and supplied water in vehicles to houses. Families have collected and stored it in vessels.

Low-lying areas are still waterlogged and cultivation like pepper, nutmeg and plantain are getting destroyed extensively. These had survived the flood, but are rotting at the roots due to water retention in the fields.  

Paddy fields and properties are still waterlogged and dirty water is seeping into wells.

"Even after filtering, the well water can't be used because of the stench. In my memory this is the first time that water in our well has been dirtied. Health problems do not allow me to fetch water on head from distant places,” said Valsamma Philip, a housewife from Iranjal.

A  pillar of filth

Tons of filth that the Meenachil river brought in the flood have been stuck on the pillars of a bridge at Kulappurakadavu in Thazhathangadi, on the western part of Kottayam town. The deposits include plastic bottles, rubbish, and parts of trees uprooted on river shores. 

The irrigation department says it is the job of local bodies to remove such filth. The Kulappurakadavu area is under the Kottayam Municipality and its opposite side is under the Thiruvarpu panchayat.

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