Desalination Plant Handed over to Lakshadeep Administration

The Low Temperture Thermal Desalination Plant (LTTD) at Kavaratti has been successfully handed over to the Administration of Lakshadweep. Adressing a press conference in New Delhi today the Union Minister for Science and technology and Ocean Development Shri Kapil Sibal said that due to the safe and unpolluted drinking water which is supplied by the Desalination Plant the waterborne diseases, especially in children, have come down to less than 10 percent. Besides, the cold water being brought from a depth of 350 m to the surface is nutrient-rich, and Kavaratti Island is evolving into a new marine ecosystem with the coastal line bursting with ornamental fish. This would be a big boon for tourism industry of the island.

The plant was handed over on March 3, 2006 in the august presence of Prof. V.L. Chopra, Member, Planning Commission, Dr. P.S. Goel, Secretary, DOD and Shri. Parimal Rai Adminstrator, Lakshadweep, for operation, maintenance and supply of drinking water to the people of the island. During the function, several local panchayat members, women and other welfare groups had participated and expressed gratitude to the Department for providing pure, clean, and safe drinking water.

This LTTD desalination plant with a capactiy of 1 lakh litre per day was developed indigenously by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Department of Ocean Development (DOD), and was commissioned at Kavaratti in May 2005 by late P.M. Sayed, the then Union Minister for Power and Shri. Kapil Sibal. Since then, the plant has been working continuously without any interruption, and contributing significantly to the needs of the Kavaratti population. This improved the quality of life of the population in Kavaratti. To date, this plant has produced over 1.5 crores of litres of water and the production often exceeds the designed capacity. This is a land based plant suitable for Lakshadweep islands.

For the first time in their life, the people at Kavaratti Island are drinking sweet and safe water, and the sense of gratitude in their eyes is to be seen to believe. Based on all these benefits to the society, the Lakshadweep Administration plans to have more desalination plants in each of the islands.

Currently, the department is working to design, develop, demonstrate and commission LTTD plant with a capacity of 10 lakh litre per day near Chennai. This will be barge-based plant which is expected to be commissioned in the coastal waters of Chennai soon. The department is also considering to set up some more plants in other major islands of Lakshadweep.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : March 06, 2006