Kochi city may not be experiencing water logging this monsoon season if the experience during the last two rainy days are any indication, claimed a civic administrator.
Though the city received copious showers during the past two days, the city was relatively free of water logging. There were not many complaints from the councillors and general public regarding water logging, which shall be considered as an indicator of improved flood management system, said Soumini Jain, chairperson of the Works Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation.
The thorough cleaning of the Thevara-Perandur canal and removal of the silt that has been deposited in the canal has yielded results. A large number of small canals that run through various divisions opens into this major canal. The de-clogging has helped in clearing the water that was poured into the canal from various parts of the city, she said.
Rain water that was pooled in many parts of the city including MG Road got drained quickly saving the thoroughfares and others from water logging. Even if the city is to receive heavy showers in the coming days, it may not cause any major hardship to the city dwellers, she said.
The Corporation has made seven Petti and Para (the indigenously developed mechanised system for clearing flood waters) operational. A few electric motors have also become functional, which can be put to use in case of heavy showers, she said.
The workers of the Health Wing have been asked to focus on clearing the minor water logging and removing the small blocks in the drains to ensure that flood water is drained. These workers will cover the city area during the morning hours for clearing the water logging. The helpline system of the Corporation will be in existence till the end of the monsoon season, she said.
The civic authorities hope to make use of the expertise and technical support of the State government agencies in cleaning seven major canals of the city before the next monsoon season. The Water Resources Minister P. J. Joseph had recently announced that the State government would help the Kochi Corporation in making the canals navigable and clearing the silt from them.
As the civic administration has cleaned the major canals in the city before the onset of monsoon, the service of the government agencies could be used before the next season, she said.
