The Kerala High Court has directed the district administration to complete the jetting of the 23 railway culverts along the Perandoor canal to prevent flooding during monsoon.
It ordered the Southern Railway Area Manager to grant all assistance for the execution of the work.
The Kochi Corporation should immediately desilt, clean, and restore the nearly 2.5-km stretch of the Thevara-Perandoor canal from the Perandoor bridge to the Chittoor lake and the nearly 2-km stretch from the GCDA, Kadavanthra, to Kammattipadam before May 29. The work shall be done using the resources of the civic body, the court said.
The Advocate General (AG) submitted that the Perandoor mouth of the Thevara canal was clogged, and that its desilting was progressing. A few holdings for dumping silt from the area have been identified, the AG said.
He submitted that 35 projects had either been completed or were nearing completion under the Operation Breakthrough programme. The 17 projects under Phase-II will be completed by the end of May. The court shall issue necessary directions to the corporation to complete cleaning of drains and canals, without which Operation Breakthrough will be fruitless.
The court directed the corporation to clean all the drains within its jurisdiction and to ensure that there was no blockage of water during monsoon. It also observed that the Thevara-Perandoor canal had to be readied to receive the huge water influx during the rainy season.
The amicus curie in the case, who submitted that Operation Breakthrough was being executed by the district administration more or less satisfactorily, raised concerns over the work done by the corporation.
The court asked Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to submit specific proposals for the construction of manholes in drains between the Edappally station and Jose Junction, so that slabs might not have to be dislodged when maintenance becomes necessary.
It ordered the District Collector to appoint a senior and capable officer to coordinate work among the Kochi Corporation, KMRL, and other stakeholders.
