Killiyar Oruma, a mass clean-up drive in the Killi river along a stretch extending up to 22 km, will be held on April 14 from 8 a.m. onwards.
Around 10,000 people, including workers of the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme and the Ayyankali Employment Guarantee Scheme, people’s representatives, students, residents’ association members, and cultural figures will take part in the clean-up programme, aimed at clearing up the obstacles to the river’s flow.
Announcing the event here on Wednesday at a press conference, D.K. Murali, MLA, and chairman of the Killiyar Mission Samiti, said the entire populace living on both sides of the river would take part in the various activities to rejuvenate the Killi river and prepare it for the upcoming monsoon.
The programme is part of the larger Killiyar Mission, which the Haritha Kerala Mission is carrying out with the local bodies in the area. The Nedumangad block panchayat and Nedumnagad municipality, along with Panavoor, Anad, Aruvikkara and Karakulam grama panchayats, are also part of the mission to revive the river.
31 canals
The project will be over a 22-kilometre stretch, beginning from Karinchathimoola, the origin of the river in Panavoor grama panchayat, till the Vazhayila bridge. The 31 canals and over 50 rivulets that flow into the river along this stretch, will also be cleaned and check-dams constructed. Strengthening of the boundaries will be done by laying geotextiles and planting trees.
Local mission committees have been formed at three levels to coordinate the activities. Last week, thousands of people joined Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas and Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac in a walk along the river titled ‘Puzhayarivu,’ to ensure people’s involvement in the mission.
Participation
In the Killiyar Oruma programme of April 14 too, Ministers, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, MLAs from all parties, and cultural leaders will take part.
The plan is to complete the cleaning-up and construction of check-dams in the months of April and May, to prepare the river for the monsoon. The second phase of the mission will be to protect the river and end the encroachments on both sides.
