Kochi: The Congress in Ernakulam district has accused Industries Minister P Rajeeve of compromising the common people's right to drinking water even as protecting the business community's interests.

Addressing the media at the District Congress Committee office here, people's representatives belonging to the opposition party said Rajeeve was busy arranging water for industrial needs at Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) park at Kalamassery even as the district was reeling under unprecedented water shortage.

The Congress came out with the allegation in the wake of the government granting a nod for Kinfra's project to set up a 45 million litres per day (MLD) capacity water treatment plant and supply network in the city. The long-pending project has been facing opposition from people saying it was intended to ensure water supply at Kinfra for industrial needs.

"The government and Minister Rajeeve are siding with the industrial mafia instead of taking steps to resolve the huge drinking water crisis. The government is challenging the people by restarting the works to pump water to Kinfra despite strong opposition from the people and their elected representatives. The attempt to pump water from the Periyar to Kinfra is being carried out at a time when there is not enough drinking water for people in different parts of the district including Ernakulam city. Nobody is against industrial progress. We are questioning the government stand giving no concern for people's fundamental right to drinking water," Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden said.

Congress MLAs T J Vinod, Anwar Sadath, Uma Thomas and DCC president Muhammed Shiyas attended the press meeting.

They said permission was granted for the Kinfra project due to pressure from the industries department. They said it is easier to cleanse water from Kadambrayar near Kinfra and use it instead of laying pipe for long. They said the 190 mld project proposed by the Kerala Water Authority to address the water woes of the district should be implemented immediately. 

The Congress leaders said the party will oppose the works Kinfra is scheduled to start at Aluva on Monday.