Contractors thank you gesture

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Just three flex boards did the trick for Larsen and Toubro (L&T), one among the contractors of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JICA)- assisted water supply project. They are now thanking the stars for having adopted a new strategy to break the deadlock over the leak rectification work at Powdikkonam. It has yielded the best of results, as the leak has been plugged along the pipeline here without any protests from the public.  The first board was placed on August 11 along the roadside, requesting the cooperation of the public to allow them attend to the leak on the pipeline between Powdikkonam and Puthukunnu. When they felt the message had reached the people, on August 20, the work was carried out. And prior to the start of the work, the company had placed the second board, this time notifying the people that once the work is completed, the road would be restored. Once it got over, the third board was placed, thanking  the public. “We completed the leak rectification work on the morning of August 21 itself and restored the road temporarily using concrete the same afternoon. The next day, we permanently restored the road by tarring it. Now, the equation between the people and JICA team has totally changed,” said an official with L&T. The contractor placed the third board on August 22 expressing gratitude to the people.  “Where the State Government, district administration and local bodies failed, a simple strategy clicked,” said an official with JICA, recalling the different meetings which were held with the people to allow L&T to carry out the leak rectification work. Two reservoirs were constructed at Puthukunnu, near Powdikkonam, and pipelines were laid spending crores. The pump house got ready, inside Powdikkonam market, nearly a year back. But owing to the leak, the line could not be charged. Even after repeated pleas, the people didn’t budge. They were actually protesting against the poor condition of the roads in the area. When the impasse continued, the contractor placed the flex board imploring the public to cooperate with them so that crores wouldn’t go down the drain. The board, it is believed, had sent the right message to the people and things went ahead smoothly.