A meeting convened by Water Resources Minister Mathew T.Thomas and Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac on Thursday decided to prepare a master plan to rejuvenate the Varattar and Aadi-Pampa rivers.
The master plan will be prepared under the guidance of local self-government institutions of Koipram, Eraviperoor, Kuttoor, and Thiruvanvandoor, and the Chengannur municipality.
Meet in capital
The meeting, held in Thiruvananthapuram, also decided to prepare a watershed development plan which would be integrated with the annual plans of the local self-government institutions. If the project identified required large funding, it would be considered as a special case.
A directive was issued to the Water Resources Department to demolish the causeway at Vanchippottil-kadavu in the Varattar and construct a temporary footpath in its place.
The ongoing rejuvenation work in the Aadi-Pampa taken up by the Eraviperoor and Koipram panchayats would be completed with resource mobilised from the public. Weed-clearing work was in progress in the Aadi-Pampa, a four-km branch of the Pampa, into which the Varattar river mouth opens.
The two panchayats could carry out the rejuvenation work as a special project, if they required additional funds.
The ongoing preliminary environment impact assessment (EIA) of the Varattar would be completed by July 31 and a report placed for discussion before the committee for rivers formed at the respective panchayat.
River boundaries
The boundary stones of the Varattar in the panchayat limits of Koipram, Kuttoor, and Eraviperoor should be verified and made permanent.
The Alappuzha Collector has appointed a survey team to fix the river boundaries in the villages of Chengannur and Thiruvanvandoor. The team will complete the survey and lay permanent boundary stones by July 31.
The riverbed will be restored through people’s participation after discussions at grama sabhas.
