4 months ago
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After years of silt accumulation and ecological stress, the Pazhukkanila Lake successful Kottayam wherever the Kodoor and Meenachil rivers converge with the Vembanad water is acceptable for a revival.
Under the 2nd Kuttanad Package, the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has approved a ₹103.73 crore task to revive Pazhukkanila Lake done ample standard desilting, portion simultaneously unlocking caller improvement possibilities for the Malarikkal Ambal (waterlily) village.
An hold of the Vembanad backwaters, Pazhukkanila Lake lies on the fringes of Thiruvaarppu Panchayat and Kottayam municipality. Years of unchecked silt accumulation had steadily choked the lake, threatening some its ecological equilibrium and the livelihoods babelike connected it. The revival program was archetypal projected successful 2020.
At the bosom of the task is the removal of astir 3.68 lakh cubic metres of silt from the 1.62 sq km expanse of Pazhukkanila Lake.The silt volition beryllium utilized to reenforce 27.8 km of outer bunds protecting paddy fields successful the J Block polders of Thiruvaarppu panchayat, arsenic good arsenic the Thiruvaykkari and F Block areas nether Kottayam municipality. Once strengthened, these bunds volition besides go motorable, easing entree to fields that person agelong remained hard to reach.
Under the plan, outer surveys volition representation the varying depths of the lake, allowing desilting to beryllium carried retired systematically, betwixt depths of 1.75 m and 2.35 m, restoring the lake’s capableness without disturbing its earthy contours.
According to K.Anil Kumar, convener of the Meenachil-Meenanthara-Kodoor stream relinking programme, the desilting is expected to importantly trim flooding connected the occidental broadside of Kottayam during the monsoon, arsenic excess h2o from the Kodoor and Meenachil rivers tin travel into the water much freely.
“For farmers, stronger bunds mean amended extortion for paddy fields, reduced hazard of harvest nonaccomplishment and the agelong awaited anticipation of treble cropping each year,”’he pointed out
Improved entree roads atop the bunds volition besides alteration workplace logistics, enabling quicker transport of harvested paddy and easier question of seeds, fertilisers and cultivation machinery. The projected 14.5 km roadworthy bund besides holds the committedness of a caller tourism corridor, opening up the backwaters for visitors and creating opportunities for h2o based recreation activities.
The stream rima astatine Pazhukkanila, which besides houses a 200-year-old lighthouse, had served arsenic a strategical constituent on the h2o way that connected the Kottayam portion with the remainder of Kerala for centuries. The waterway, however, remains unnavigable with trash and weeds holding sway on the riverbed, portion the sedimentation has affected its aquatic beingness arsenic well.
