The walkway along the Kalpathy river behind Kalpathy and Chathapuram agraharams has turned into a gathering place for boozards and . It is no longer a place for a leisurely walk. A visitor will be turned away either by the stench of the waste dumped over and over or by the sight of the tipplers.
Many parts of the walkway constructed by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) in 2003 have been badly damaged. No signs of maintenance were visible anywhere except at a comfort station.
Large portions of the Kalpathy river along the walkway have become a dumping yard of waste, especially from that of an elephant maintained in a nearby compound and from a catering company functioning at Old Kalpathy.
Dozens of black pigs are seen rolling in the dirty river almost throughout the day. Bushes have grown along the stretch, inviting rodents and snakes.
All the five bathing ghats at Chathapuram, Kalpathy, Govindarajapuram, Vaidyanathapuram, and Old Kalpathy too have become a dumping yard of discarded idols and photos of deities in glass frames.
Street lights replaced a few months ago were destroyed apparently by the tipplers who find the stretch a convenient place. Municipal Vice Chairman C. Krisnakumar said that the municipality had no role in the maintenance of the walkway and the river. “We are taking care of the comfort station. We are also constructing a river wall at Vaidyanathapuram side using the Amrut project,” he said.
Vipin P.S., Councillor from Kalpathy, said that the presence of tipplers was on the increase in the area as none was taking care of it. As the Karkidaka Vavu Bali ceremonies were cancelled because of the COVID-19 situation, no cleaning had taken place this year, he said.
He was trying to get the help of the municipality and the Irrigation Department to get the river cleaned up and to maintain the walkway.
People living in the agraharams of Kalpathy and Chathapuram said the walkway behind their houses had become a threat to their peaceful living. “Since there is no control, it has turned into a place for anti-social elements,” said Karimpuzha Raman, president of the Kerala Brahmana Sabha.
