It was to have been completed by May last and was supposed to give a face lift to the Kannur University’s administrative campus here.
As the work on developing the aquatic biodiversity park by converting the flooded area on the campus into a rainwater conservation facility-cum-park remains stalled, visitors to the campus are now greeted by the sight of stagnant water affected by discolouration owing to algae formation.
The Rs.1.72- crore project, envisaged as a facility for conserving aquatic diversity of the area and rain harvesting system for the entire campus, should have been completed mid-May. The Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which contracted the works, was to have handed over the project to the university by now. If works had progressed as scheduled, the lake developed on the waterlogged area of the campus would have already become a spot of attraction. For, the project envisages not only a lake occupying a total 5,088 sq metre area but also a walkway, hand-railing, and seating arrangements, among others.
“We have already instructed the CPWD to complete the work without further delay,” said university Registrar Balachandran Keezhoth. The discolouration of the stagnant water was due to the black soil on the bottom of the waterlogged area that was being converted into a lake, he said.
The part of the campus at Thavakkara here used to be a waterlogged area. The lake envisaged in the project will have a depth of three metres. The aquatic park is being developed on 1.25 acres of land close to the administrative block and the university central library.
According to the university officials, the CPWD, which stopped the work following the onset of rains, is expected to resume the works soon.
