THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The local residents will start an agitation this weekend demanding the de-siltation of Aruvikkara reservoir which has lost more than 51 per cent of its capacity to silt.
Human waste also reaches the city’s drinking water source through various canals posing a serious threat to even people who reside around the reservoir.
Local MLA K.S. Sabarinath on Tuesday raised the issue in the Assembly. The agitations will start on Friday initially in the form of a photo exhibition in front of the secretariat that will draw a comparison between the reservoir now and at the time of commissioning.
Around nine vast catchment areas of the reservoir that used to hold water have turned into pasture land, playgrounds or marsh over the years.
These catchments areas on Karamana river which are spread around Uzahmalakkal,Aruvikkara and Aryanad panchayats are non-existent now.
“It’s a disturbing sight for us as we used to see a gushing, meandering Karamana river once. During the tenure of V.S. Achuthanandan government, they had tried to extract sand at Pazhanilam and Kalathara. Since sand could not be profitably extracted, the plan was cancelled. Kerala Water Authority is doing nothing,” said environmental activist Pazhanilam Rajan.
The health of the reservoir is at an all- time low threatening the well-being of city dwellers. The Vembannor catchment area where people used to swim in summers remains marshy even during monsoon. Residents fear that this marsh will turn to land during the next harsh summer.
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