THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With pre-monsoon cleaning yet to start, the city corporation machinery which was focussing on elections could do nothing to prevent floods that choked the city during recent summer showers. Last year, pre-monsoon storm water drain clean up had started on May 6, much ahead of monsoon. A total of Rs 40,000 was given to each of the 100 wards.
However, the works are yet to start this year and drains are clogged with waste, say representatives of Confederation of Resident Associations (CONFRA). “Nothing has started as of now and drains are clogged with plastic waste. It is learnt that corporation is also hit by lack of space to dump the waste that will be collected from drain,” CONFRA office bearer said.
M.R. Gopan, the Nem-om councillor said that a meeting was convened on Wednesday to plan pre-monsoon clean up. “The exact sum allotted for each ward is not known, but elections have affected our annual projects,” he said.
The corporation’s spending on pre-monsoon clean up drives has increased by more than 100 per cent since 2012. Activities also involve fogging and cleaning to minimise cases of dengue. While dengue prevention activities were organised by Health Department in 52 wards in April itself, the corporation which is responsible for the ant-dengue works in rest of the 48 wards are yet to do start activities, health officials said. Veli, Karakulam and Manacaud areas are on the radar as an influx in dengue cases are expected here.
Massive steps needed to control sea erosion
A combination of structural mechanisms and eco system based precautions are essential to manage the sea erosion that has achieved the proportion of disaster in capital, said experts. Many coastal residents are apprehensive about Vizhinjam port dredging which they believe is accelerating the sea attack.
On the other hand dwellers of Valiyathura believe that sea wall in adjacent area is eating away their space. If experts are to be believed, things have only taken a gradual and expected turn and sea wall is not a panacea to contain erosion, they believe.
“A combination of structures like sea wall and eco-system based precautions like mangrove forest can only solve the issue. The effect by eco-system based precautions will only be gradual whereas structures can give immediate but short term benefits. Site based approach should be adopted,” Keshav Mohan, director of Institute of Land and Disaster Management.
Sea wall not a panacea
Harbour department officials said that the Vizhinjam project is in a nascent stage to have any impact on sea erosion. However, they accept that sea walls in
certain areas accelerate sea erosion in nearby areas. “The sea erosion has been intense last year also and there has been gradual rise in erosion. Sea walls are not without disadvantages. Groynes could be better as they accelerate sand accretion but its too expensive,” said John Varghese an Executive Engineer attached to Harbour Engineering Department.
As per officials, Valiyathura was excluded from sea wall to leave a gap for launching fishing vessel. However, new site based approach will be needed to save the land, they said. The fishermen who depend on sea make new house right next to coast perpetually putting them in the line of trouble.
Need extensive impact studies
“Before a decade, when we started with sea wall projects, the environment impact study was not extensive. That time we wanted a project that could give immediate relief. IIT Bombay had done study and irrigation department has started putting stones. The next season itself the precious granite blocks were eroded,” said an official attached to irrigation department. Due to reckless sand excavation very less sand end up in sea through rivers and accretion do not happen well like earlier.
