ALAPPUZHA: The government-sponsored ‘Ambedkar chundan’ that participated in the Nehru Trophy Boat Race here in 1994 for the first time has been out of action for many years for want of maintenance.
It had competed in several boat races in Thrissur, Karuvattta, Pulinkunnu and Kandassamkadavu, but the lack of government grant has crippled the iconic chundan.
Raghu Kuppapuram, Ambedkar boat club president, says that since 1996 the club was not getting any assistance from the government.
“The bonus which was given to the club was insufficient to meet the expenses, including maintenance of the boat and travel and food expenses of the rowers. In 2008, the government sanctioned Rs 6 lakh for rebuilding the boat after the club submitted a proposal of Rs 8 lakh. As it was insufficient, the club approached the government again following which an additional Rs 3.5 lakh was promised. On the basis of this, the chundan was dismantled, but the fund is yet to come,” he adds.
“The primary work of the new chundan started in 2008 under the instruction of the then district collector V.K. Balakrishnan, but later his successors did not show any interest in it,” he says.
Vinod Karchal, a boat race enthusiast, says that Ambedkar chundan, capable of carrying over 110 rowers, was popular with the people of Kuttanad cutting across caste and religion.
“The old chundan kept at Pulinkunnu is still waiting for rejuvenation. The chundan that represents the hopes of a marginalized populace will make a splash in Punnamada lake again if the authorities show the will,” he points out.
