In the case under mention, it was the State-owned company, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), which escaped a determined attempt at privatization by the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government.

Thanks to the sense of indignation the move engendered, the water resources department had to cancel a government order, issued last year, to set up the Kerala Drinking Water Supply Company. If the move had succeeded, the company would have caused the closure of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), which distributes drinking water to households.

Genesis of the privatization move can be traced to the green signal the Government gave in December 2012 to set up the water supply company. The decision touched off angry protests, which compelled the Government to come out with a clarification in March 2013 which stated that the proposed company would only supply drinking water to colonies and commercial establishments and distribute packaged drinking water at reasonable rates.

Even the revised order, however, failed to pacify the angry protestors. And the State continued to be rocked by vociferous protests against the privatization move. Therefore, the Government was compelled to drop the controversial move, which dealt a telling blow to the Oommen Chandy Government’s craze for privatization.

The order of December 2013 said that, in view of the widespread fears voiced by various quarters over the setting up of the drinking water supply company, the Government order, which gave the sanction for setting up the company was being cancelled.

This is not the first time that the UDF Government’s move for privatization has been frustrated by an alert public opinion. A powerful IAS lobby both at the state and the central levels, with the active help of state ministers and central ministers, had tried its level best to deprive the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation(DMRC) of the charge of the Kochi Metro Project.

The Chandy Government had pursued a hunting-with-the-hound-and-running-with-the-hunted policy in the matter, drawing the wrath of the people. The privatization lobby had opposed, tooth and nail, the entrusting of the Kochi Metro Project’s charge to E. Sreedharan, who had successfully implemented the Delhi Metro project as also the Konkan Railway Project, earning global acclaim. But, in the teeth of opposition from the people, their attempts to hand over the Kochi Metro Project to a private company failed miserably.

No wonder, the proponents of the public sector are in a jubilant mood. Conversely, there is a sense of dismay in the privatization lobby. But it is clear that the advocates of privatization won’t take their latest defeat lying down. Further attempts at privatization can be expected in the future sooner than later. And an alert public opinion and popular pressure alone can frustrate their nefarious designs. (IPA)