The State government has formed a committee to assess ‘river training’ and debris clearance in the Punnapuzha river at landslides-affected Meppadi in Wayanad district.
Broadly, ‘river training’ covers engineering works constructed on a river to guide and confine the flow.
A committee chaired by Sandeep V., executive engineer, Karapuzha Irrigation project Division, Kalpetta, has been tasked with conducting a “strategic environment impact assessment” of the river with respect to the removal of debris.
It will inspect the Punnapuzha river throughout the ‘runout length’ of the landslides and identify potential obstructions that may hamper the free flow of the river, and identify the areas that needs to be cleared of boulders, rubble and other debris along the river and its tributaries and suggest removal methods.
The committee will also explore the possibility of using the boulders and debris to prevent further erosion of the river banks, in addition to recommending structural and non-structural (nature-based solutions) river training works.
The committee was constituted on the recommendation of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). The members include three scientists from the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) and two hazard analysts of the KSDMA.
Published - September 04, 2024 08:12 pm IST
