espite not being a part of the Operation Anantha, the cleaning up of the Parvathy Puthanar is crucial for the success of the ongoing flood mitigation drive.
The artificially made canal has been severely polluted with the discharge of raw sewage into the canal through the Karimadom tank as well as the drainage from numerous houses. The accumulation of solid waste has resulted in an obstruction to the flow of water along the canal that opens into the sea at Poonthura and Veli to facilitate natural flushing.
The canal, which was used for navigation during the Travancore era, has remained largely neglected by the authorities and has posed health risks for the residents of the city.
The first phase of the cleaning of the Parvathy Puthanar was launched by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy nearly two months ago. Officials of the Inland Navigation Department said the initial phase, which involved the removal of water weeds and waste materials in the area from Moonnattumukku to Akkulam, was nearing completion.
According to an official, the work has been completed along a distance of nearly 10 km up to Vallakkadavu. The activity was undertaken by simultaneously utilising three dredgers that were mounted on barges. “Several truck loads of wastes were removed from the canal. The stretch from Vallakkadavu to Chakka was currently being cleaned,” the official said.
The efforts of the authorities in cleaning up the area between Chakka and Karikkakam have, however, run into rough weather. The local residents have been demanding the construction of a steel bridge and have refused to permit the cleaning drive before their demands are met with. The intervention of the district authorities have been sought by the officials of the Inland Navigation Department in the issue.
The officials have also proposed various measures to ensure that the dumping of garbage into the canal was prevented. With the accumulation of garbage within the Moonnattumukku-Muttathara stretch being particularly high, they have requested the Poonthura police to step up vigil in the area. In addition, other steps such as installation of CCTV cameras have also been suggested.
Meanwhile, the department has completed the removal of the sandbar that had formed at Kunnumanal. The formation obstructed the flow of floodwater which came through the Thekkanankara canal. The work was undertaken at a cost of Rs.37 lakh and has been included as an activity under the Operation Anantha.
The officials were currently making arrangements to prevent the formation of fresh sand deposits that prevented the flow of water.
