Kuttanad desperate for flood-control measures

The Kuttanad Vikasana Samithy, a voluntary organisation, has urged the Kerala Government to recommend those schemes under the Kuttanad package, which need implementation urgently, on a priority basis.

Father Thomas Peeliyanickal, Executive Director of KVS, told Business Line that 398 polders (reclaimed land parcels), spread over the heart of Kuttanad and Ambalapuzha taluks, are highly vulnerable to bund-breach during floods, and their protection by constructing bunds using dredged clay and silt demands top priority.

Besides, to alleviate the fury of floods in the Kuttanad region, opening of AC canal as recommended by the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in its package also needs to be implemented, he said.

This project is fully funded by the 13th Finance Commission. The government was requested to seek the funding from the 14th Finance Commission to complete this project before its expiry on March 31 next, he said.

Meanwhile, the Thottappally spillway project for widening and deepening of the channel is important and that does not seem to have included in the extension of implementation period, he pointed out.

A section of farmers from Ramankary, Mankombu and Nedumudy said many polders were vulnerable to bund-breaching.

The Thanneermukkam and Thottapally schemes were sanctioned under Flood Management Programme with 75 per cent Central assistance and 25 per cent State contribution. If these projects are not executed before March 31, the funding ratio will be changed to 50 per cent each for Centre and State, Peeliyanickal said. In that case, the burden on the State government would be heavy and it might lead to abandoning of these schemes, he said.

The ₹1,850-crore Kuttanad package recommended by the MSSRF is aimed at “mitigating the agrarian distress in Alappuzha and Kuttanad wetland ecosystem” and it was approved by the Central Cabinet on July 24, 2008 and directed the concerned ministries to implement the components relevant to the respective departments.