Lok adalat rules more, quicker water supply to apartments

KOCHI: In a landmark verdict, the permanent lok adalat, Ernakulam, has asked the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to increase the diameter of supply pipes to an apartment complex following higher demand from individual flats in the complex. As of now, KWA is supplying water to apartment complexes through pipes with a diameter of 25mm, which is the same size as pipes being used to supply water to ordinary domestic consumers. Disposing a petition by a flat owner, the lok adalat ordered KWA to provide connection to the apartment complex using a supply pipe of not less than 63-mm diameter.Since most apartment owners have a similar complaint, the verdict will have far-reaching implications. The petition was lodged by Tharunya Prakash, an apartment owner from Vaduthala. "The apartment complex of the petitioner has 28 individual flats. So, water supply through the 25mm pipe, which is used for individual houses, will not meet the requirement of apartment owners. The verdict will help other apartment owners in securing water connection through supply pipes of larger diameter," said advocate A Rajasimhan, the counsel for the petitioner.According to KWA officials, they have strict orders from higher-ups to use 25mm pipes for apartments. "We have been asked to use 25mm pipes to provide water supply connections to apartment complexes. We only give connections to apartments for drinking water purpose. For others, they have to find their own sources," a KWA official.But apartment owners have argued that regulation 7(G) of the KWA (Water Supply) Regulation 1991 stipulates that water sconnection to apartments should be given using pipes of higher diameter. "But the KWA doesn't follow the regulation. Now, the verdict of Lok Adalat has underlined the regulation," Rajasimhan said.In the absence of adequate supply from KWA, apartment owners have to depend on tankers to supply water. "For a truckload of water, we have to shell out Rs 900. Till June, they were charging Rs 1,300 as they had to bring water from distant areas," said K N Ninan, president, Penta Queen Apartment Coordination Committee, Padivattom. There are around 15,000 apartment complexes in the district.