A team of experts from the Netherlands will submit a report to the authorities on rejuvenating the canal system in Alappuzha. The project is part of an initiative to attract tourism connecting various canals that criss-cross the town, known as Venice of the East.
A team consisting of Petra J.M. Smulders, Political Affairs Secretary, Embassy of the Netherlands in India, and four other experts reached Alappuzha and held consultations earlier this week with Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, who is also the MLA of Alappuzha, official sources said. The team is slated to hold discussions with Minister for Water Resources Mathew T. Thomas before finalizing the report.
The canal system in the Netherlands is understood to have several features similar to that of the Alappuzha canal network. The Dutch have rich experience in handling the canal water flow and its clean-up. If approved, the project would commence soon, officials said.
The Water Resources Department had prepared a report on the cleaning up of the canals in 2011. The project envisaged regulation of flow of saline water from the Arabian sea and flood control in the canal system.
An environmental impact assessment study and a technical feasibility study were conducted by the Centre for Earth Science Studies and College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, respectively, as part of the project.
The previous government had initiated a programme to beautify the canals and Kitco had been entrusted with the task. Deepening of the canals, strengthening of the banks, construction of steps and installation of statues at various locations are among the project components.
