The Hindu Business Line : Inland waterways: Unsettled channels in Kerala

Several rehabilitation measures are proposed for those living on waterway embankments in Kerala, so that the canals can be made navigable and profitable once more.

EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION of people in the development of waterways in the State is an important pre-requisite considering several social issues involved in the rehabilitation and resettlement of masses.

As the embankments of most inland waterways in Kerala are densely populated, the rehabilitation measures have to be framed with a social angle. Though these measures are expected to encourage tourism in the State, there are a few negative social impacts.

The issues raised by land acquisition/resettlement and impact on bathing ghats are two major issues hindering the development of waterways, according to Dr George Chackacherry, Scientist at Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) sub-centre, Thiruvananthapuram. The bank protection measures, he said, would affect bathing ghats as a large number of people still use waterways for bathing.

Likewise, he said 60 per cent of latrines along canals are open, which directly or indirectly lead into the waterways leading to contamination. Moreover, people tend to simply dispose solid waste in the water. These problems can be mitigated or controlled only through community participation for which concerted efforts are required for creating awareness and interacting with people. Therefore, waterway development efforts should ensure participation of the people, especially those who live on the banks for the effective implementation of inland waterways development, he added.

According to the proposal for improvement of 40-km Varkala-Thiruvanthapuram section of the canal for operating boating services prepared by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC), about 600 families living on the banks of the canal in government lands had to be resettled.

This could invite political intervention and social tension among the affected people. Therefore, Dr George Chackacherry suggested that the rehabilitation measures should be framed with a social angle.

At a recent seminar here, he said that local wisdom would help solve several issues. Hardships to the people will be minimised if their participation is ensured. Hence, it is necessary to evolve a common strategy with the local communities to avoid any adversities during the disposal of dredge or water hyacinth and pruning of trees.

The inland waterways system is located in the coastal plain on the west coast of Kerala, which makes up approximately 10 per cent of its area and supports 26 per cent of the population.

Initially, the total length of navigable waterways in Kerala was nearly 1,700 km. The relative disuse of inland water transport in Kerala is due to poor maintenance, lack of dredging and poor upkeep of inland water transport facilities. A feature peculiar to Kerala is the natural existence of almost a continuous chain of lagoons and backwaters separated from the coastline by a narrow strip of land varying in width from about half a kilometre to 12 km. For ages, these water bodies and lagoons were used for transportation through a network of connecting canals. With the advent of faster surface transport modes, the waterways were neglected and gradually abandoned. A study carried out as part of the Kerala State Inland Water Transport Pilot project revealed that the stakeholders and communities concerned had apprehensions about waterway development programmes, which included maintenance inadequacies, insufficient participation, lack of transparency, insensitivity to social and environmental dimensions, lack of coordination among government agencies, apprehension over potential dredging and damage to bunds and embankments. Though several government departments and agencies in the State are associated with the maintenance and development of waterways, their expertise needs improvement. Dr George Chackacherry pointed out that adequate importance had not been given to the subject so far. The immediate requirement is that the Water Resources Department, which is responsible for the state waterways and water resources, should adequately be strengthened.

Mr K. V. A. Iyer, Vice-President, Water Transport Workers Federation of India, said that the scope of inland waterways is now restricted to a few stretches. They can be made navigable round the year if the appropriate infrastructure is put in place.

Citing the annual report of the Shipping Ministry, he said that two significant policies have been put in place to encourage IWT. In the place of extending 50 per cent of the project cost as reimbursable loan to States, the current policy is to totally give assistance as grants.

The quantum of such grant is 100 per cent of the project cost in the case of North-East States and 90 per cent for others. The response from the States has been encouraging, he said.

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