KOCHI: The woes of residents living near Punchathodu, a stinking canal, are unending as the district administration is yet to respond to the issue. The stinking canal has been a nightmare for the locals for about eight years and the lack of coordination from the district administration has aggravated the issue.Kerala Environment Preservation Forum president T N Pratapan said that though the District Collector had earlier promised to look into the matter, measures have not been initiated so far. “He had earlier promised that he would soon convene a meeting with the authorities of NHAI, BSNL, Kerala Water Authority (KWA), Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and Kochi Corporation to solve the issue, but to no avail,” Pratapan said. He added that they have talked to the authorities. “The BSNL and the KSEB are ready to respond positively to the issue, but not the KWA,” he said.KWA Executive Engineer (PH) K S Babu said that as of now the water authority cannot take any steps. He said that water pipeline was drawn to provide water supply to the residents of Vennala area. “We cannot take any measures to remove the pipeline as it would disrupt the water supply to Vennala,” he said.District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth said that he had spoken to the authorities who have drawn various pipe and other lines across the canal. ”I have suggested to draw a single duct to accommodate all these pipe and cable lines as it can solve this issue,” Pareeth said.However, the residents of the area said it would not help settle the matter. “There are about twenty to thirty pipelines. Accommodating all these pipelines is not of much relief as the single duct will pass through the narrow end of the tunnel through which the canal flows. Instead of that, NHAI should intervene immediately and make some arrangements just above the tunnel for laying these pipes,” Pratapan said.The canal is clogged by plastic bottles and other waste materials. As many cable lines have been drawn through the canal, the flow of water is obstructed leading to heavy water logging in Chakkaraparambu, Thammanam Labour Colony, Kuthappadi, Aysha Road and Ponnurunni Road. It is alleged that norms were violated while drawing cables across the tunnel through which the canal passes.
Comments
0 comment