A project to renovate and clean the canals of Alappuzha, which was given administrative and technical sanctions during the previous government's tenure, has been placed in public domain for more discussions and to create public awareness.
The project and different related proposals are already available on the website of local legislator T.M. Thomas Isaac (www.drthomasisaac.in) and on Saturday, the Alappuzha Heritage Society brought together citizens concerned for a seminar to discuss the project with the help of experts, including M.K. Prasad, environmentalist and former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University, and a number of officials, mainly from the Irrigation Department.
Dr. Isaac, introducing the project, said the current situation of the canals in Alappuzha were symbolic of the town's own situation, of a town struggling to remain alive.
The project, for which expressions of interest have been invited for preparation of detailed project reports, envisages installation of two iron pipes of one-metre diameter and with a projection of 150m into the sea, placed 1.2 m below the sea level, to let in sea water into the canals. A concrete chamber will be set up in the Uppootti Canal with shutters to control sea-water inflow into the canal system.
Water is expected to enter the canal through gravity flow and the system, with provision to prevent sand deposits inside the pipes, will be operated only during summer.
Prof. Prasad, presenting the project in place of Srikumar Chattopadhyay of the Centre for Earth Science Studies who had prepared the project but could not make it to Saturday's programme, called for a mass public awareness campaign since without the cooperation of the public, continued maintenance of the canals in a clean manner would not be possible.
Technical feasibility
Participants at the seminar called for ensuring the technical feasibility of the project, since similar projects to let in sea water had resulted in huge losses to the exchequer.
Dr. Isaac said that a technical feasibility study was already done and that all apprehensions over the project would be addressed. The success of the project would be ensured.
The project would be implemented in three steps. It would start with cleaning of the canals of the weeds and garbage; de-silting of the canals, which has not been done for the last 40-odd years; and then once sea water was let in, a mechanism would be put in place to see that the canals remained clean without returning to the present condition again.
The public have been invited to post their comments and views on the project on Dr. Isaac's website, so that there would be a public consensus on the project and also, transparency and awareness on the role the public had to play.
Municipal Chairperson Mercy Diana Macido presided over the function.
