Thiruvananthapuram: The district collector, S. Venkatesapathy, has submitted a proposal of over Rs 60 crore to the state government for flood mitigation efforts to be taken up in the city. While it was not clear whether the drive will continue under the banner of Operation Anantha, several long-term projects envisaged by the former government for next phase of Anantha finds no mention in the new proposal. “We have compiled a list of projects proposed by various agencies like KSUDP, minor irrigation and PWD,” said Mr Venkatesapathy.
PWD and KSUDP have submitted projects worth Rs 7.15 crore and Rs 27.75 crore and the minor irrigation projects worth over Rs 30 crore. The works by minor irrigation mostly include sidewall construction of drains at Valiyasala, Chalai and Erumakuzhy. Apart from this is the construction of several new culverts and renovation of Kariyil Thodu. The KSUDP work involves fixing concrete box drains from Pazhavangadi, Power House Road and Thampanoor that ultimately join the Pazhavangadi canal. Most of the works given are those requiring urgent attention, disaster management officials said.
The first phase of Operation Anantha involved cleaning up of around 31 kilometres of drains in the capital city, but these efforts did not face the real test as the monsoon was weak in 2016. Then, the officials had cited a low coordination between PWD, KRFB, irrigation and the city corporation in drain cleaning. They proposed a single authority to handle cleaning up of drains. The scope of new works included anti-encroachment drives on Amayizhanjan Canal from Kannamoola to Akkulam. Also, drains around areas like Pattom, Ulloor, Pangode and Kaithamukku were to be rebuilt.
Kariyil thodu needs Rs 25 crore for cleaning
The most expensive project under the proposed flood mitigation effort by the district administration will be the cleaning up of 8-km-long Kariyil Thodu. Over Rs 25 crore has been demanded for the cleaning up of the two-century-old canal which was excluded midway from Operation Anantha. It runs through four wards-- Ambalathara, Poonthura, Kamaleswaram and Muttathara-- and causes flooding due to obstructions. It runs parallel to NH bypass and crosses bypass and joins Parvathi Puthanar at two locations.
However, due to encroachments and massive water hyacinth growth, it triggers floods particularly in Kamaleswaram. “The revenue officials during Operation Anantha had cleared the encroachments. Now pond dunes which are bulldozers loaded on barges will be used to clean the 5-metre-wide canal. Around 5 culverts and side walls will be built,” said an official attached to Minor Irrigation. “The canal will be renovated from Neelattinkara to Parvati Puthanar. Presently during rainy seasons the bridges (culverts) are submerged,” the official added.
There have been instances when fire and rescue has fished out cars from the 6-feet-deep canals. Due to walled properties coming up on both sides of the once lush paddy fields, the cleaning of the canal using manual labour had become impossible. Contractors were unwilling to take up the cleaning up project, as per a former local councillor.
