KOCHI: The innovative ‘Ente Kulam Ernakulam’ project, aimed at reviving abandoned waterbodies, assumes added significance as a drought threat looms large over the district.
Till the other day, as many as 55 ponds had been cleaned up with the help of volunteers since the project was launched in December 2015.
A brainchild of former District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam, the project is being executed by 200-odd volunteers of Anbodu Kochi, a voluntary organisation formed to coordinate relief works in Kochi to help victims of Chennai floods. His successor K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla has been equally enthusiastic of the project.
“We started off by cleaning one pond a day, and the high point was when we cleaned up 15 ponds a day,” said Bimal Vas, one of the nine founding members of Anbodu Kochi.
Water from at least five such ponds are being utilised for drinking purpose. The revived ponds are handed over to the public, and they are reviewed once in two months as part of ensuring their proper upkeep.
As many as 10 best-kept ponds were recognised recently by the District Collector. The Health Department has collected water samples from all the ponds for examination. A report is expected within a month.
