The rejuvenation of the Utharappalli river (Utharappalliyar) remains on paper. The 18-km river, which emanates from Achenkovil river in Venmony grama panchayat and meanders through Ala, Cheriyanad, and Puliyoor before joining the Pampa river in Budhanoor, has been reduced to a drain due to waste dumping.
Encroachments have resulted in the narrowing of its width and water remains stagnant in many places.
A survey launched in 2016 to demarcate the river boundaries and identify encroachments remains incomplete. While the survey was completed in Ala and Venmony villages, it remains half-finished in Cheriyanad and EnnakKad (Budhanoor panchayat) villages. The survey was yet to be carried out in Puliyoor.
"Six years after the launch of the survey, uncertainty shrouds the Utharappalli river restoration project. Despite the Kerala High Court in 2018 directed the government to conduct a proper survey, demarcate river boundaries, evict encroachers, and carry out dredging to restore the river to its pristine glory, no concrete measures have been taken to implement the court order," said V.S. Gopalakrishnan, secretary, Rural Development and Cultural Society, Ala.
The court issued the order for the restoration of the river while disposing of a petition filed by the Rural Development and Cultural Society.
Earlier this year, the State government allotted ₹1 crore as a token amount for the river rejuvenation project. Following this, Saji Cherian, MLA, directed the authorities concerned to prepare a detailed project report (DPR).
"The restoration of the Utharappalli river is no easy task. In places like Puliyoor, the river has disappeared due to encroachments and land fillings. We are currently focused on preparing a DPR for rejuvenating the river in Ala and parts of Venmony where the survey has been completed. Our plan is to restore the river to five metres in these two villages. For the plan to materialise, encroachments need to be removed. Restoration of the rest of the river stretch will be taken up at a later stage," said an official of the Major Irrigation department, adding the ₹1 crore allotted by the government was yet to get the administrative sanction.
The restoration of the river would benefit farmers in the five panchayats who were once dependent on the waterbody for their cultivation and other needs.
Meanwhile, Irrigation officials said the rejuvenation of the Kuttamperoor river was nearing completion.
