Thiruvananthapuram: Charachira pond in Nanthancode ward will be developed into a mini-tourist centre with a swimming pool, pedal boating, walkway and also some space for fish farming. Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar said this during a fish harvest here – the first-ever since the council took charge. “This will look very different, after the makeover,” she said. The inauguration of the works in the adjoining areas of the pond is scheduled for April 7.
The pond has been a source of revenue for the Corporation, as it has been used for fish farming, time and again. On Thursday, the yield fetched Rs 40,000 at an auction conducted by the Corporation. Close to 50,000 fishes which included Rohu and Catla, were grown in the pond. It is a good yield according to ward councillor Palayam Rajan. “Earlier we cultivated grass carp, an edible fish which feeds on algae, here. Now it is not available. Even after renovating the pond, fish farming will continue. We have decided not to use speed boats as fish needs to be cultivated,” he says.
K Muraleedharan MLA sanctioned Rs 74 lakh to convert a part of the pond into a swimming pool. Construction of the walkway and park around the pond will start on April 7. The Corporation has sanctioned Rs 83 lakh for the renovation work. From AMRUT fund, Rs 33 lakh will be used. The overall budget of the project is estimated to be over Rs 3 crore and would be implemented in phases, according to Palayam Rajan. When asked about the environmental impact of converting the pond into a pool, he said that it was going to be minimal.
